The accurate classification of non‐small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) into lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is essential for both clinical practice and lung cancer ...research. Although the standard WHO diagnosis of NSCLC on biopsy material is rapid and economic, more than 13% of NSCLC tumors in the USA are not further classified. The purpose of this study was to analyze the genome‐wide pattern differences in copy number variations (CNVs) and to develop a CNV signature as an adjunct test for the routine histopathologic classification of NSCLCs. We investigated the genome‐wide CNV differences between these two tumor types using three independent patient datasets. Approximately half of the genes examined exhibited significant differences between LUAD and LUSC tumors and the corresponding non‐malignant tissues. A new classifier was developed to identify signature genes out of 20 000 genes. Thirty‐three genes were identified as a CNV signature of NSCLC. Using only their CNV values, the classification model separated the LUADs from the LUSCs with an accuracy of 0.88 and 0.84, respectively, in the training and validation datasets. The same signature also classified NSCLC tumors from their corresponding non‐malignant samples with an accuracy of 0.96 and 0.98, respectively. We also compared the CNV patterns of NSCLC tumors with those of histologically similar tumors arising at other sites, such as the breast, head, and neck, and four additional tumors. Of greater importance, the significant differences between these tumors may offer the possibility of identifying the origin of tumors whose origin is unknown.
A facile route was adopted to synthesize heterostructured WO3/TiO2 photocatalysts from wood fibers through a two-steps hydrothermal method and a calcination process. The prepared WO3/TiO2-wood fibers ...were used as photocatalysts under UV irradiation for photodegradation of rhodamine B, methylene blue and methyl orange. In calcination process, the wood fibers acted as carbon substrates to prepare the WO3/TiO2 photocatalysts with high surface area and unique morphology. Thus, the significant enhanced photodegradation efficiency of the organic pollutants with the WO3/TiO2-wood fibers under UV irradiation was obtained. The photodegradation rates are measured which confirms the highest performance of the WO3/TiO2-wood fibers after calcination in comparison to the TiO2-wood fibers after calcination and the pure WO3/TiO2 after calcination. Moreover, the photodegradation efficiency of the WO3/TiO2-wood fibers after calcination under visible light is high. Our results demonstrated that the WO3/TiO2-wood fibers after calcination are a promising candidate for wastewater treatment in practical application.
•A new precast SRC beam-column joints with and without RC slab is designed.•Plastic hinge and local buckling of steel beam flanges occurred within the length of the steel beam bracket.•Shear studs ...close to the precast connection cause the delamination between slab and steel beam.•The friction coefficient of bolt-connection under cyclic loading is less than that under static loading.
For better constructability, precast joint segments are used in Steel Reinforced Concrete (SRC) beam-column joints. In this study, quasi-static cyclic tests were performed on six precast SRC beam-column joint specimens with or without slab and one monolithic joint specimen with slab to investigate the load-carrying capacity, deformation capacity, failure mode, stiffness degradation, and energy dissipation capacity. For the test parameters, three connection types of weld-connection, high strength bolt-connection, and a combination of weld- and high strength bolt-connections were considered. The connection location was kept away from the column face so as to avoid the inherent plastic hinge at the connection. The test results showed that the precast SRC beam-column joints with slab exhibited better seismic performance than that of the precast joints without slab. The plastic hinge occurred in steel beam brackets without connection failure. The peak strength was not decreased by bolt-slip at the connection in the joint specimen without slab, while bolt-slip decreased the peak strength of the joint specimen with slab. This study results give an insight to structural engineers for design of precast SRC beam-column joints.
C-Reactive protein (CRP) is an essential biomarker relevant to various disease prognoses. Current biosensors require a significant amount of time for detecting CRP. To address this issue, this work ...proposes electrokinetic flow-assisted molecule trapping integrated with an impedance biosensor, where a driving signal in terms of a gated sine wave is provided to circularly arranged electrodes which detect proteins. To verify the biosensor's efficacy, protein aggregation on the electrode surface was evaluated through a fluorescence analysis and measurement of the electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS). The fluorescence analysis with avidin showed that target samples largely accumulated on the electrode surface upon provision of the driving signal. The EIS measurement of CRP accumulation on the electrode surface further confirmed a significant electrokinetic phenomenon at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Even at the low CRP concentration of 10 pg/ml, the proposed device's sensitivity and reliability were as high as 3.92 pg/ml with a signal-to noise ratio (SNR) of ≥3, respectively. In addition, the protein detection time (without considering the preparation time) was minimized to as low as 90 s with the proposed device. This device's advantage is its minimal time consumption, and simple drop-analysis process flow; hence, it was used for monitoring clinical serum samples.
This investigation was designed to examine the potential involvement of RAGE/NADPH oxidase signaling in the damage to the brain caused by chronic fluorosis. Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly ...into 9 groups each containing 20 animals, Controls (C); rats receiving low (i.e., 10 ppm) (LF) or high does ( i.e., 50 ppm) (HF) of fluoride in their drinking water; and these same groups injected with FPS-ZM1, an inhibitor of RAGE, (CF, LFF and HFF, respectively) or administered EGb761, an active ingredient of Ginkgo biloba extract, intragastrically (CE, LFE, and HFE). Following 3 and 6 months of such treatment, the spatial learning and memory of the animals were assessed with the Morris water maze test; the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) assayed by biochemical methods; and the levels of proteins related to the RAGE/NADPH pathway determined by Western blot and of the corresponding mRNAs by qPCR. After 6 months, the spatial learning and memory of the LF and HF groups had declined; their brain contents of MDA and H2O2 increased and SOD activity decreased; and the levels of the RAGE, gp91, P47, phospho-P47phox and P22 proteins and corresponding mRNAs in their brains were all elevated. Interestingly, all of these pathological changes caused by fluorosis could be attenuated by both FPS-ZM1 and EGb761. These findings indicate that the brain damage induced by fluorosis may be caused, at least in part, by enhanced RAGE/NADPH oxidase signaling and that FPS-ZM1 or EGb761 might be of clinical value in connection with the treatment of this condition.
•Exposure of rats to a high level of fluoride in their drinking water for 6 months impaired their spatial learning and memory and increased the level of oxidative stress in their brains.•Exposure of rats to fluorosis elevated the levels of the RAGE, gp91, P47, phospho-P47phox and P22 proteins and of the corresponding mRNAs in their brains.•Concomitant treatment with FPS-ZM1 or EGb761 alleviated these changes in the brain induced by fluorosis, perhaps by enhancing RAGE/NADPH oxidase signaling.
In winemaking, large amounts of grape skin (GS) are generated as by-products, which contain not only abundant degradable cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin but various functional polyphenols. In ...contrast to most studies focusing on the utilization of extractives, the current study investigates the use of ultrasonicated grape skin (UGS) containing all components to develop a multifunctional composite film. Owing to dissociation during ultrasonication, all GS components were well dispersed in water to obtain the UGS suspension. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that the celluloses were successfully transformed into cellulose nanofibers, which can improve the uniformity of the composite film. Subsequently, biodegradable and multifunctional composite films were fabricated by combining the UGS and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The UGS and PVA formed a good interface, which was attributable to strong hydrogen bonds, and the resulting films exhibited excellent thermal stability and moisture-sensitive mechanical properties. The polyphenols in the UGS suspension endowed the composite film with multiple functions, including pH-responsive color change, excellent antioxidant activity, ultraviolet shielding, and antimicrobial properties. The use of PVA enhanced the flexibility, strength, and elongation of the UGS film. Therefore, the easily prepared, tailored, multifunctional, and biodegradable UGS/PVA composite film exhibits superior potential for application in agriculture, cosmetics, and healthcare.
Graphic abstract
A collision detection approach for torque-controlled manipulators is proposed to detect and isolate a collision in an unknown environment without using external sensors. A set of artificial indexes ...physically representing instantaneous powers are introduced. A contact link can be detected and isolated by finding the smallest power index based on full knowledge of the link parameters. However, it is difficult to precisely obtain the link parameters. Therefore, we propose a robust way in which the collision detection and isolation processes are separated. A collision can be detected by comparing a power-based index with a unique threshold, and a contact link can be isolated by comparing power indexes without any additional threshold. The statistical simulation results using a 6 degree of freedom (DOF) spatial manipulator show the performance of the proposed approach in an ideal situation. Furthermore, the statistical experimental results using the 2- and 3-DOF planar manipulators validate the robustness of the proposed approach.
Under weak geological conditions, soil deformation and surface settlement are the key factors affecting the success of shallow-buried rectangular excavation. To investigate this issue, an underpass ...of Zhongxiao East Road in Taipei City was used as a case study. The surface settlement and lateral deformation of an underground diaphragm wall caused by the excavation of a rectangular pedestrian underpass using the pipe-roof preconstruction method (PPM) were investigated by 3D finite element analysis. The numerical analysis results showed that the constructed numerical analysis model had considerable accuracy. The use of PPM combined with a box culvert structure to form a pedestrian underpass could effectively control the surface displacement above the box culvert. Under the condition of the same sectional area, the smaller the width of the pipe-roof structure, the more the impact on the ground surface was reduced. The maximum positive bending moment and maximum negative bending moment on the pipe roof produced by excavation at each stage were roughly inversely related to the height per the width of the cross-section of the pipe diaphragm structure. The results showed that the pipe-roof structure was suitable for underground excavation with shallow-buried depth in the soft soil of the Taipei Basin. Moreover, the shallow-buried box culvert was more sensitive to the subsidence caused by construction than the deep-buried box culvert.
Nanotechnologies have become one of the primary directions in the development of biosensing technologies. These nano-enhanced biosensors can achieve a lower limit of detection and better sensing ...characteristics than traditional sensors can. Within these biosensing technologies, impedimetric biosensors, which have been developed for decades in sensing technologies, have obtained great progress with the momentums of nanotechnologies. To address these advancements of nano-enhanced impedimetric biosensing technologies, in this work, we mainly focus on reviews of nanomaterial-based and nanostructure-based impedimetric biosensors. At the same time, several promising new assays based on nanotechnology are also summarized. And the relationship between the limit of detection to nanoscale techniques is presented to promote the following developments of nanoscale biosensing technologies.
Owing to Japan’s aging society and labor shortages, the food and agricultural industries are facing a significant demand for robotic food handling technologies. Considering the large variety of food ...products, available robotic end-effectors are limited. Our primary goal is to maximize the applicability of existing end-effectors and efficiently develop novel ones, and therefore, it is necessary to categorize food products and end-effectors from the viewpoint of robotic handling and establish their relationships through an effective evaluation approach. This study proposes a system for evaluating robotic end-effectors to identify appropriate ones and develop new ones. The evaluation system consists of food categorization based on food properties related to robotic handling, categorization of robotic end-effectors based on their grasping principles, a robotic system with visual recognition based on Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2) to conduct handling tests, a scoring system for performance evaluation, and a visualization approach for presenting the results and comparisons. Based on food categorization, 14 real food items and their corresponding samples were chosen for handling tests. Seven robotic end-effectors, both commercialized and under development, were selected for evaluation. Using the proposed evaluation system, we quantitatively compared the performance of different end-effectors in handling different food items. We also observed differences in the handling of real food items and samples. The overall performance of an end-effector can be visualized and quantitatively evaluated to demonstrate its versatility in handling various food items.
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