Engineering nerve guidance conduits with three-dimenisonal bioprinting technology for long gap peripheral nerve regeneration

Nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) are tubular structures that are used to bridge the gap of a severed nerve, thereby acting as a guide and protective micro-environment for the regenerating axons and as a barrier against the in-growth of scar-forming tissue. In the last few decades, the concept of NGCs has evolved from a research tool to investigate nerve regeneration into a translational product that is now being used clinically as an alternative for autologous nerve graft repair, due to their availability and ease of fabrication.

Overexpression of the neuroglobin gene delivered by ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction protects SH-SY5Y cells against cobalt chloride induced hypoxia

In this study, we examined the effects of neuroglobin gene （Ngb） transfection into SH-SY5Y cells, using ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction （UTMD）, on cobalt chloride-induced hypoxia. With an ultrasound intensity of 0.8 W/cm2, a 60-second exposure duration, 50% duty cycle, and 20% microbubble concentration, pAcGFP1-C1-Ngb-transfected cells exhibited the highest cell viability and transfection efficiency. The efficiency of plasmid delivery was significantly higher with UTMD than transfection with plasmid alone, transfection with plasmid using microbubbles, or transfection of plasmid by ultrasound. In addition, during cobalt chloride-induced hypoxia, caspase-3 activity in pAcGFP1-C1-Ngb-transfected cells was significantly lower than in untransfected cells. Ngb protein and mRNA expression were significantly higher in cells transfected by UTMD than in cells transfected with the other methods. These results demonstrate that UTMD can very efficiently mediate exogenous gene delivery, and that Ngb overexpression protects cells against cobalt chloride-induced hypoxia.

Reducing defect of inorganic perovskite film by sulphur-containing Lewis base for robust photodetectors

Sluggish charge transfer in perovskite film induced by inherent defects such as uncoordinated Pb2+undoubtedly hinders the rapid response of self-powered photovoltaic-typed detector.Based on interaction between Lewis acids and bases,herein,we employ thiourea molecule as a multifunctional Lewis base to significantly improve the quality of all-inorganic CsPbIBr2 perovskite film.After careful characterizations,the quality of perovskite film has been well regulated.Arising from the reduced defect and the reinforced the interfacial charge extraction owing to the strong interaction between uncoordinated Pb2+ions and the-C=S groups in thiourea and the formation of hydrogen bond at perovskite/TiO_(2) interface,an enhanced responsivity of 0.335 A W-1 and specific detectivity of 3.92×10^(12) Jones has been achieved for the self-powered,carbon-electrode based photodetector,which is comparable to the state-of-theart device based on CsPbIBr2 film.More importantly,the device free of encapsulation remains 82.8%of initial performance after storage over 56 days in ambient atmosphere,promoting the practical deployment of perovskite products.

Iron-induced 3D nanoporous iron-cobalt oxyhydroxide on carbon cloth as a highly efficient electrode for oxygen evolution reaction

The development of highly efficient and cost-effective electrode materials for catalyzing the oxygen evolution reaction(OER)is crucial for water splitting technology.The increase in the number of active sites by tuning the morphology and structure and the enhancement of the reactivity of active sites by the incorporation of other components are the two main strategies for the enhancement of their catalytic performance.In this study,by combining these two strategies,a unique three-dimensional nanoporous Fe-Co oxyhydroxide layer coated on the carbon cloth(3D-FeCoOOH/CC)was successfully synthesized by in situ electro-oxidation methods,and directly used as a working electrode.The electrode,3D-FeCoOOH/CC,was obtained by the Fe doping process in(NH4)2Fe(SO4)2,followed by continuous in situ electro-oxidization in alkaline medium of“micro go chess piece”arrays on the carbon cloth(MCPAs/CC).Micro characterizations illustrated that the go pieces of MCPAs/CC were completely converted into a thin conformal coating on the carbon cloth fibers.The electrochemical test results showed that the as-synthesized 3D-FeCoOOH/CC exhibited enhanced activity for OER with a low overpotential of 259 mV,at a current density of 10 mA cm^–2,and a small Tafel slope of 34.9 mV dec^–1,as well as superior stability in 1.0 mol L^–1 KOH solution.The extensive analysis revealed that the improved electrochemical surface area,conductivity,Fe-Co bimetallic composition,and the unique 3D porous structure together contributed to the enhanced OER activity of 3D-FeCoOOH/CC.Furthermore,the synthetic strategy applied in this study could be extended to fabricate a series of Co-based electrode materials with the dopant of other transition elements.

A causational analysis of scholars' years of active academic careers vis-à-vis their academic productivity and academic influence

Taking the scholarly activities of 73 doctoral program mentors working at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College(the CAMS &PUMC) as a sample of our investigative survey, we tried using such statistical methods as the analysis of variance(ANOVA), factor analysis and correlation analysis to compare the different characteristics of scholarship assessment of Chinese medical scholars as exhibited in their published papers in domestic and foreign journals. Our research findings show that citations per paper and A-index are more suitable for assessing the highly accomplished senior Chinese medical professionals(e.g. academicians) for their domestic and international scholarship attainment. In contrast, the m-quotient is not deemed appropriate to assess their academic influence both at home and abroad. Upon our further analysis of 6 evaluative indicators, we noticed that these indicators might be applied in two different aspects: One is from the viewpoint of Chinese scholars' academic influence at home, which has been evaluated mainly from the perspective of 'total' amount and 'average' amount of both publications and citations. The other is from their academic impact embodied by the means of documents retrieved from the Web of Science, which is mainly assessed from the two viewpoints of publications and citations. It is suggested that the accumulated time-length of a given scholar's active engagement in professional practice in a specific subject area be taken into consideration while assessing a researcher's performance at home and abroad.

Chitosan-based triboelectric materials for self-powered sensing at high temperatures

Although biopolymers have been widely utilized as triboelectric materials for the construction of self-powered sensing systems,the annihilation of triboelectric charges at high temperatures restricts the output signals and sensitivity of the assembled sensors.Herein,a novel chitosan/montmorillonite/lignin(CML)composite film was designed and employed as a tribopositive layer in the assembly of a self-powered sensing system for use under hot conditions(25-70℃).The dense contact surface resulting from the strong intermolecular interaction between biopolymers and nanofillers restrained the volatilization of induced electrons.The optimized CML-TENG delivered the highest open-circuit voltage(V_(oc))of 262 V and maximum instantaneous output power of 429 mW/m^(2).Pristine CH-TENG retained only 39%of its initial Voc at 70℃,whereas the optimized CM_(5)L_(3)-TENG retained 66%of its initial Voc.Our work provides a new strategy for suppressing the annihilation of triboelectric charges at high temperatures,thus boosting the development of self-powered sensing devices for application under hot conditions.

Accelerating Factor Xa inhibitor discovery with a de novo drug design pipeline

Small-molecule drugs are essential for maintaining human health. The objective of this study is to identify a molecule that can inhibit the Factor Xa protein and be easily procured. An optimization-based de novo drug design framework, Drug CAMD, that integrates a deep learning model with a mixed-integer nonlinear programming model is used for designing drug candidates. Within this framework, a virtual chemical library is specifically tailored to inhibit Factor Xa. To further filter and narrow down the lead compounds from the designed compounds, comprehensive approaches involving molecular docking,binding pose metadynamics(BPMD), binding free energy calculations, and enzyme activity inhibition analysis are utilized. To maximize efficiency in terms of time and resources, molecules for in vitro activity testing are initially selected from commercially available portions of customized virtual chemical libraries. In vitro studies assessing inhibitor activities have confirmed that the compound EN300-331859shows potential Factor Xa inhibition, with an IC_(50)value of 34.57 μmol·L^(-1). Through in silico molecular docking and BPMD, the most plausible binding pose for the EN300-331859-Factor Xa complex are identified. The estimated binding free energy values correlate well with the results obtained from biological assays. Consequently, EN300-331859 is identified as a novel and effective sub-micromolar inhibitor of Factor Xa.

税收负担与企业财务绩效——基于纳税支出粘性的调节效应

本文以中国沪深A股上市公司2008-2017年的数据为样本,证明企业纳税支出变动存在粘性,实证研究税收负担与企业财务绩效之间的关系以及纳税支出粘性在二者关系中的调节效应。结果表明:税收负担与企业财务绩效显著负相关,税收负担越重,企业财务绩效越低;纳税支出粘性与企业财务绩效具有显著负相关关系,纳税支出粘性越大,企业财务绩效越低;并且纳税支出粘性显著增强了税收负担与企业财务绩效之间的负相关关系。进一步研究发现,纳税支出粘性对税收负担与企业财务绩效之间负向关系的增强效应在中成长性的企业中显著,在低成长性和高成长性的企业中不显著。最后提出有关提高企业财务绩效的对策与建议。

A Bibliometric Framework for Identifying"Princes"Who Wake up the"Sleeping Beauty"in Challenge-type Scientific Discoveries

Purpose： This paper develops and validates a bibliometric framework for identifying the ＂princes＂ （PR） who wake up the ＂sleeping beauty＂ （SB） in challenge-type scientific discoveries, so as to figure out the awakening mechanisms, and promote potentially valuable but not readily accepted innovative research. （A PR is a research study.） Design/methodology/approach： We propose that PR candidates must meet the following four criteria： （1） be published near the time when the SB began to attract a lot of citations; （2） be highly cited papers themselves; （3） receive a substantial number of co-citations with the SB; and （4） within the challenge-type discoveries which contradict established theories, the ＂pulling effect＂ of the PR on the SB must be strong. We test the usefulness of the bibliometric framework through a case study of a key publication by the 2014 chemistry Nobel laureate Stefan W. Hell, who negated Ernst Abbe＇s diffraction limit theory, one of the most prominent paradigms in the natural sciences. Findings： The first-ranked candidate PR article identified by the bibliometric framework is in line with historical facts. An SB may need one or more PRs and even ＂retinues＂ to be ＂awakened.＂ Documents with potential awakening functionality tend to be published in prestigious multidisciplinary journals with higher impact and wider scope than the journals publishing SBs. Research limitations： The above framework is only applicable to transformative innovations, and the conclusions are drawn from the analysis of one typical SB and her awakening process. Therefore the generality of our work might be limited. Practical implications： Publications belonging to so-called transformative research, even when less frequently cited, should be given special attention as early as possible, because they may suddenly attract many citations after a period of sleep, as reflected in our case study.Originality/value： The definition of PR（s） as the first paper（s） that cited the SB article （self- citing excluded） has its limitations. Instead, the SB-PR co-citations should be given priority in current environment of scholarly communication. Since the ＂premature＂ or＂transformative＂ breakthroughs in the challenge-type SB documents are either beyond the current knowledge domain, or violate established paradigms, people＇s psychological distance from the SB is larger than that from the PR, which explains why the annual citations of the PR are usually higher than those of the SB, especially prior to or during the SB＇s citation boom period.

Low Doses of Rifampicin Used in New Tuberculosis Patients Correlated to Increased Frequency of Rifampicin-Resistance and Poorer Treatment Outcomes

The prognosis of patients with previously treated tuberculosis (TB) was suggested to be dependent on whether the initial treatment was in compliance with the established guidelines. The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to determine the proportion of new TB patients who received standard doses of rifampicin in multiple provinces of China, and the relationship between low doses of rifampicin and frequency of rifampicin-resistance as well as treatment outcomes. A total of 713 new TB patients were treated with either once-daily dose of bulk anti-TB drugs (group I) or every other day combination blister packs of anti-TB drugs containing rifampicin (group II) at more than 30 TB treatment centers/hospitals in China. Treatment history, therapeutic doses of rifampicin, and information about patients were extracted from their medical records and analyzed, and rifampicin-resistance of isolates collected from patients following the treatment as well as treatment outcomes were compared between two treatment groups. Among 522 patients in treatment group I, 154 (29.5%) received standard and 363 (69.5%) received low doses of rifampicin;238 (45.6%) isolates were rifampicin-resistant, and 243 (46.6%) were successfully treated. Among 191 patients in treatment group II, 175 (91.6%) received standard and 15 (7.9%) received low doses of rifampicin;72 (37.7%) isolates were rifampicin-resistant, and 105 (55%) were successfully treated. When patients who received low doses of rifampicin were compared to others within the same treatment group, increased rates for rifampicin-resistance and treatment failure were observed. Results from this study showed that most new TB patients in treatment group I (69.5%) received low doses of rifampicin, and their treatment outcomes were worse than those in treatment group II, indicating that low doses of rifampicin used for the initial treatment of new TB patients were correlated to increased frequency of rifampicin-resistance and poorer treatment outcomes.

Heat exchanger network synthesis integrated with flexibility and controllability

Over the last three decades,flexibility and controllability considerations for heat exchanger networks(HENs)have received great attention,respectively.However,they should be simultaneously incorporated in HEN synthesis to allow the economic performance to be achievable in a practical operating environment.This paper proposes a method for simultaneous synthesis of flexible and controllable HEN by considering their coupling.The key idea is to add the bypasses with optimized initial fractions and positions to explore such coupling,and consequently enabling HENs to be operated successfully over a range of disturbance variations.These are implemented by identifying and quantifying disturbance propagations,and then examining the sensitivity of bypasses to the entire HEN.In this way,the superstructurebased mixed integer non-linear programming(MINLP)with objective function of minimizing the total annual cost is formulated.A case study is used to demonstrate the application of the proposed method.Quantitative measures and dynamic simulation show the ability to provide the satisfactory flexibility and controllability of the obtained HEN.

Aerodynamic design on high-speed trains

Compared with the traditional train,the operational speed of the high-speed train has largely improved,and thedynamicenvironmentofthetrainhaschangedfromoneof mechanical domination to one of aerodynamic domination.The aerodynamic problem has become the key technological challenge of high-speed trains and significantl affects the economy,environment,safety,and comfort.In this paper,the relationships among the aerodynamic design principle,aerodynamic performance indexes,and design variables are firs studied,and the research methods of train aerodynamics are proposed,including numerical simulation,a reducedscale test,and a full-scale test.Technological schemes of train aerodynamics involve the optimization design of the streamlined head and the smooth design of the body surface.Optimization design of the streamlined head includes conception design,project design,numerical simulation,and a reduced-scale test.Smooth design of the body surface is mainly used for the key parts,such as electric-current collecting system,wheel truck compartment,and windshield.The aerodynamic design method established in this paper has been successfully applied to various high-speed trains（CRH380A,CRH380 AM,CRH6,CRH2 G,and the Standard electric multiple unit（EMU）） that have met expected design objectives.The research results can provide an effective guideline for the aerodynamic design of high-speed trains.

Extracting and Measuring Uncertain Biomedical Knowledge from Scientific Statements

Purpose:Given the information overload of scientific literature,there is an increasing need for computable biomedical knowledge buried in free text.This study aimed to develop a novel approach to extracting and measuring uncertain biomedical knowledge from scientific statements.Design/methodology/approach:Taking cardiovascular research publications in China as a sample,we extracted subject-predicate-object triples(SPO triples)as knowledge units and unknown/hedging/conflicting uncertainties as the knowledge context.We introduced information entropy(IE)as potential metric to quantify the uncertainty of epistemic status of scientific knowledge represented at subject-object pairs(SO pairs)levels.Findings:The results indicated an extraordinary growth of cardiovascular publications in China while only a modest growth of the novel SPO triples.After evaluating the uncertainty of biomedical knowledge with IE,we identified the Top 10 SO pairs with highest IE,which implied the epistemic status pluralism.Visual presentation of the SO pairs overlaid with uncertainty provided a comprehensive overview of clusters of biomedical knowledge and contending topics in cardiovascular research.Research limitations:The current methods didn’t distinguish the specificity and probabilities of uncertainty cue words.The number of sentences surrounding a given triple may also influence the value of IE.Practical implications:Our approach identified major uncertain knowledge areas such as diagnostic biomarkers,genetic polymorphism and co-existing risk factors related to cardiovascular diseases in China.These areas are suggested to be prioritized;new hypotheses need to be verified,while disputes,conflicts,and contradictions need to be settled.Originality/value:We provided a novel approach by combining natural language processing and computational linguistics with informetric methods to extract and measure uncertain knowledge from scientific statements.

Synthesis of indirect work exchange networks considering both isothermal and adiabatic process together with exergy analysis

In this paper, an efficient methodology for synthesizing the indirect work exchange networks(WEN) considering isothermal process and adiabatic process respectively based on transshipment model is first proposed. In contrast with superstructure method, the transshipment model is easier to obtain the minimum utility consumption taken as the objective function and more convenient for us to attain the optimal network configuration for further minimizing the number of units. Different from division of temperature intervals in heat exchange networks,different pressure intervals are gained according to the maximum compression/expansion ratio in consideration of operating principles of indirect work exchangers and the characteristics of no pressure constraints for stream matches. The presented approach for WEN synthesis is a linear programming model applied to the isothermal process, but for indirect work exchange networks with adiabatic process, a nonlinear programming model needs establishing. Additionally, temperatures should be regarded as decision variables limited to the range between inlet and outlet temperatures in each sub-network. The constructed transshipment model can be solved first to get the minimum utility consumption and further to determine the minimum number of units by merging the adjacent pressure intervals on the basis of the proposed merging methods, which is proved to be effective through exergy analysis at the level of units structures. Finally, two cases are calculated to confirm it is dramatically feasible and effective that the optimal WEN configuration can be gained by the proposed method.

Effects of glossy privet fruit on neural cell apoptosis in the cortical parietal lobe and hippocampal CA1 region of vascular dementia rats

BACKGROUND： Glossy privet fruit inhibits neural cell apoptosis following the onset of vascular dementia. OBJECTIVE： To confirm glossy privet fruit effects on neural cell apoptosis in the cortical parietal lobe and hippocampal CAI region of rat models of vascular dementia using molecular biology techniques. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： The neural cell morphology experiment was performed at the Laboratory of Flow Cells and Biochemistry, Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Basic Room of Pathology, Academy of Chinese Medicine from December 2006 to May 2008. MATERIALS： A total of 60 Wistar rats were used to establish vascular dementia models using a photochemical reaction method. Glossy privet fruit was purchased from Fujian, China. Hydergine was co-produced by Sandoz, Switzerland and Huajin, China. METHODS： The 60 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 equal sized groups （n = 10）, i.e. model, blank, high, moderate and low doses of Chinese medicine, and hydergine control groups. Rats in the model group were treated with distilled water （1 mL/100 g） by gavage following model establishment. Rats in the blank group underwent experimental procedures as for the model group, except that rat models were created without illumination. Rats in the high, moderate and low doses of Chinese medicine groups, and the hydergine control group respectively received high, moderate and low doses of glossy privet fruit, and hydergine suspension （1 mL/100 g） by gavage, once a day, for 30 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Morphology of neural cells from the rat cortical parietal lobe and hippocampal CA1 region of all groups was observed with an electron microscope. Positive neural cells in the injury site of the rat cortical parietal lobe and hippocampal CA1 region were investigated using the Fas immunohistochemieal method. Absorbance of Fas-positive neurons was detected by the MPIAS-500 multimedia color imaging analysis system. RESULTS： Neural cells were normal, and nuclei were regular in the right cortical parietal lobe and hippoeampal CA1 region in the blank group. Karyopyknosis, an integral nuclear membrane, vacuole and apoptotic bodies were presented in the model group. The quantity and morphology of neural cells were normal in all doses of Chinese medicine groups, and the hydergine control group. Compared with the model group, absorbance was reduced at the injury site of rat cortical parietal lobe and hippocampal CA1 region in the blank, high, moderate and low doses of Chinese medicine, and hydergine control groups （P 〈 0.05）. The decrease was particularly significant in the blank group （P 〈 0.01 ）, followed by the high dose of Chinese medicine group （P 〈 0.01）. Compared with the model group, the percentage of apoptosis was decreased at the injury site of the rat cortical parietal lobe and hippocampal CAI region in the blank, high, moderate and low doses of Chinese medicine, and hydergine control groups （P 〈 0.01） and this decrease was significant in the high dose of Chinese medicine group （P 〈 0.01）. CONCLUSION： Glossy privet fruit, a kidney-tonifying Chinese herbal medicine, can inhibit cell apoptosis by reducing apoptotic signals induced by cerebral ischemia/hypoxia.

Step-wise synthesis of work exchange networks involving heat integration based on the transshipment model

Due to the deterioration of serious energy dilemma,energy-conservation and emission–reduction have been the strategic target in the past decades,thus people have identified the vital importance of higher energy efficiency and the influence of lower carbon development.Since work exchange network is a significant part of energy recovery system,its optima design will have dramatically significant effect on energy consumption reduction in chemical process system.With an extension of the developed transshipment model in isothermal process,a novel step-wise methodology for synthesis of direct work exchange network(WEN)in adiabatic process involving heat integration is first proposed in this paper,where a nonlinear programming(NLP)model is formulated by regarding the minimum utility consumption as objective function and optimizing the initial WEN in accordance with the presented matching rules to get the optimized WEN configuration at first.Furthermore,we focus on the work exchange network synthesis with heat integration to attain the minimal total annual cost(TAC)with the introduction of heat-exchange equipment that is achieved by the following strategies in sequence:introducing heat-exchange equipment directly,adjusting the work quantity of the adjacent utility compressors or expanders,and approximating upper/lower pressure limits consequently to obtain considerable cost savings of expanders or compressors and work utility.Finally,a case taken from the literature is studied to illustrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.

Two-tier control structure design methodology applied to heat exchanger networks

Because of its paramount importance in the successful industrial control strategy of a given heat exchanger network(HEN),the control structure designs for providing appropriate manipulated variable(MV)and controlled variable pairings have received considerable attention.However,quite frequently HENs with such control structures face the problem of hard constraints,typically holding the HENs at less controlled operating space.So both the MV pairings and the above control pairings should be considered to design a control structure.This paper investigates the systematic incorporation of the two pairings,and presents a methodology for designing such two-tier control structure.This is developed based on the sequential strategy,coupling an indirect-tier with direct-tier control structure design,wherein the intention is realized in the former stage and the latter is implemented for further optimization.The MV identification and pairing are achieved through variations in heat load of heat exchangers to design the indirect-tier control structure.Then the direct-tier control structure is followed the relative gain array pairing rules.With the proposed methodology,on the one hand,it generates an explicit connection between the MV pairings and the HEN configuration,and the quantitative interaction measure is improved to avoid the multiple solutions to break the relationship among all the control pairings into individuals;on the other hand,a two-tier control structure reveals control potentials and control system design requirements,this may avoid complex and economically unfavourable control and HEN structures.The application of proposed framework is illustrated with two cases involving the dynamic simulation analysis,the quantitative assessment and the random test.

Decarboxylated osteocalcin,a possible drug for type 2 diabetes,triggers glucose uptake in MG63 cells

BACKGROUND Uncarboxylated osteocalcin(GluOC)has been reported to improve glucose metabolism,prevent type 2 diabetes,and decrease the severity of obesity in mice with type 2 diabetes.GluOC can increase glucose uptake in a variety of cells.Glucose metabolism is the main source of energy for osteoblast proliferation and differentiation.We hypothesized that decarboxylated osteocalcin(dcOC),a kind of GluOC,can increase glucose uptake in MG63 cells(osteoblast-like osteosarcoma cells)and influence their proliferation and differentiation.AIM To investigate the effects of dcOC on glucose uptake in human osteoblast-like osteosarcoma cells and the possible signaling pathways involved.METHODS MG63 cells(human osteoblast-like osteosarcoma cells)were treated with dcOC(0,0.3,3,10,or 30 ng/mL)for 1 and 72 h,and glucose uptake was measured by flow cytometry.The effect of dcOC on cell proliferation was measured with a CCK-8 assay,and alkaline phosphatase(ALP)enzyme activity was measured.PI3K was inhibited with LY294002,and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha(HIF-1α)was silenced with siRNA.Then,GPRC6A(G protein-coupled receptor family C group 6 subtype A),total Akt,phosphorylated Akt,HIF-1α,and glucose transporter 1(GLUT1)levels were measured by Western blot to elucidate the possible pathways by which dcOC modulates glucose uptake.RESULTS The glucose uptake of MG63 cells was significantly increased compared with that of the paired control cells after short-term(1 h)treatment with dcOC at different concentrations(0.3,3,and 10 ng/mL groups,P<0.01;30 ng/mL group,P<0.05).Glucose uptake of MG63 cells was significantly increased compared with that of the paired control cells after long-term(72 h)treatment with dcOC at different concentrations(0.3,3,and 10 ng/mL groups,P<0.01;30 ng/mL group,P<0.05).DcOC triggered Akt phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner,and the most effective stimulatory concentration of dcOC for short-term(1 h)was 3 ng/mL(P<0.01).LY294002 abolished the dcOC-mediated(1 h)promotion of Akt phosphorylation and glucose uptake without affecting GLUT1 protein expression.Long-term dcOC stimulation triggered Akt phosphorylation and increased the protein levels of HIF-1α,GLUT1,and Runx2 in a dose-dependent manner.Inhibition of HIF-1αwith siRNA abolished the dcOC-mediated glucose uptake and substantially decreased GLUT1 protein expression.DcOC interven-tion promoted cell proliferation in a time-and dose-dependent manner as determined by the CCK-8 assay.Treatment with both 3 ng/mL and 10 ng/mL dcOC affected the ALP activity in MG63 cells after 72 h(P<0.01).CONCLUSION Short-and long-term dcOC treatment can increase glucose uptake and affect proliferation and ALP activity in MG63 cells.This effect may occur through the PI3K/Akt,HIF-1α,and GLUT1 signaling factors.

Electrocatalytic water oxidation by a nickel oxide film derived from a molecular precursor

In this study,we fabricated a NiOx film by electrodeposition of an ethanediamine nickel complex precursor(pH=11)on a fluorine‐doped tin oxide substrate.The resulting film is robust and exhibits high catalytic activity for electrochemical water oxidation.Water oxidation is initiated with an overpotential of375mV(1mA/cm2)and a steady current density of8.5mA/cm2is maintained for at least10h at1.3V versus the normal hydrogen electrode.Kinetic analysis reveals that there is a2e?/3H+pre‐equilibrium process before the chemical rate‐determining step.The low‐cost preparation,robustness,and longevity make this catalyst competitive for applications in solar energy conversion and storage.

Simultaneous synthesis of sub and above-ambient heat exchanger networks including expansion process based on an enhanced superstructure model

Synthesis of heat exchanger networks including expansion process is a complex task due to the involvement of both heat and work.A stream that expands through expanders can produce work and cold load,while expansion through valves barely affects heat integration.In addition,expansion through expanders at higher temperature produces more work,but consumes more hot utility.Therefore,there is a need to weigh work production and heat consumption.To this end,an enhanced stage-wise superstructure is proposed that involves synchronous optimization of expander/valve placement and heat integration for each pressure-change sub-stream in stages.A mixed-integer nonlinear programming(MINLP)model is established for synthesizing sub and aboveambient heat exchanger networks with multi-stream expansion,which explicitly considers the optimized selection of end-heaters and end-coolers to adjust temperature requirement.Our proposed method can commendably achieve the optimal selection of expanders and valves in a bid for minimizing exergy consumption and total annual cost.Four example studies are conducted with two distinct objective function(minimization of exergy consumption and total annual cost,respectively)to illustrate the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed method.