2023年度无机非金属材料学科基金项目评审工作综述

本文统计和分析了2023年度国家自然科学基金委员会工程与材料科学部无机非金属材料学科(E02)基金项目的申请、受理、评审和资助情况、二级代码分布情况及申请中存在的主要共性问题,总结了本学科加强基础研究举措及实施成效,并介绍了2024年学科优先资助领域、重点资助方向、申请注意事项及对未来工作的思考,旨在为广大科研人员了解该学科领域的资助现状、人才成长规律和未来发展方向提供参考。

Diabetes mellitus in patients with type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis at diagnosis and after corticosteroid therapy

Background:A high prevalence of diabetes mellitus(DM)coexisting with autoimmune pancreatitis(AIP)is observed.However,evidence on the circumstances under which corticosteroid therapy(CST)for AIP improves or worsens DM is scarce.This study aimed to demonstrate and identify predictors of DM control under the influence of CST.Methods:Patients diagnosed with type 1 AIP were enrolled from a prospectively maintained cohort and were classified into three groups according to the chronology in which AIP and DM were diagnosed:pre-existing DM(pDM),concurrent DM(cDM),and non-DM(nDM).The responses of DM to CST were assessed when corticosteroid was ceased or tapered to a maintenance dose and classified as‘improvement’and‘non-improvement’(including‘no change’and‘exacerbation’).Results:Among 101 patients with type 1 AIP,52(51.5%)patients were complicated with DM at the time of AIP diagnosis,with 36 patients in the cDM group and 16 patients in the pDM group.The incidences of diffuse pancreatic swelling(72.2%)and pancreatic body/tail involvement(91.7%)were significantly higher in the cDM group than in both the pDM and nDM groups.Of the 52 patients with DM,CST was administered in 48 cases.Multivariate logistic analysis identified that elevated serum gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT)level at AIP diagnosis[odds ratio(OR)=0.032,95%confidence interval(CI):0.003-0.412,P=0.008]and pancreatic atrophy after CST(OR=0.027,95%CI:0.003-0.295,P=0.003)were negatively associated with DM control improvement.Conclusions:Patients with diffuse pancreatic swelling and pancreatic body/tail involvement in pancreatitis tended to be complicated with cDM at AIP diagnosis.CST exerted a beneficial effect on the clinical course of DM in nearly half of the AIP patients complicated with DM at diagnosis,particularly in those without elevated serum GGT levels at diagnosis and who did not experience pancreatic atrophy after CST.

Biology of Hippo signaling pathway:Skeletal muscle development and beyond

Global demand for farm animals and their meat products i.e.,pork,chicken and other livestock meat,is steadily incresing.With the ongoing life science research and the rapid development of biotechnology,it is a great opportunity to develop advanced molecular breeding markers to efficiently improve animal meat production traits.Hippo is an important study subject because of its crucial role in the regulation of organ size.In recent years,with the increase of research on Hippo signaling pathway,the integrative application of multi-omics technologies such as genomics,transcriptomics,proteomics,and metabolomics can help promote the in-depth involvement of Hippo signaling pathway in skeletal muscle development research.The Hippo signaling pathway plays a key role in many biological events,including cell division,cell migration,cell proliferation,cell differentiation,cell apoptosis,as well as cell adhesion,cell polarity,homeostasis,maintenance of the face of mechanical overload,etc.Its influence on the development of skeletal muscle has important research value for enhancing the efficiency of animal husbandry production.In this study,we traced the origin of the Hippo pathway,comprehensively sorted out all the functional factors found in the pathway,deeply analyzed the molecular mechanism of its function,and classified it from a novel perspective based on its main functional domain and mode of action.Our aim is to systematically explore its regulatory role throughout skeletal muscle development.We specifically focus on the Hippo signaling pathway in embryonic stem cell development,muscle satellite cell fate determination,myogenesis,skeletal muscle meat production and organ size regulation,muscle hypertrophy and atrophy,muscle fiber formation and its transformation between different types,and cardiomyocytes.The roles in proliferation and regeneration are methodically summarized and analyzed comprehensively.The summary and prospect of the Hippo signaling pathway within this article will provide ideas for further improving meat production and muscle deposition and developing new molecular breeding technologies for livestock and poultry,which will be helpful for the development of animal molecular breeding.

Expression and significant roles of the long non-coding RNA CASC19/miR-491-5p/HMGA2 axis in the development of gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer(GC)is a common malignant tumor,long non-coding RNA and microRNA(miRNA)are important regulators that affect tumor proliferation,metastasis and chemotherapy resistance,and thus participate in tumor progression.CASC19 is a new bio-marker which can promote tumor invasion and metastasis.However,the mechanism by which CASC19 affects the progression of GC through miRNA is not clear.AIM To explore the role of the CASC19/miR-491-5p/HMGA2 regulatory axis in GC.METHODS To explore the expression and prognosis of CASC19 in GC through clinical samples,and investigate the effects of inhibiting CASC19 on the proliferation,migration,invasion and other functions of GC cells through cell counting Kit-8(CCK-8),ethynyldeoxyuridine,Wound healing assay,Transwell,Western blot and flow cytometry experiments.The effect of miR-491-5p and HMGA2 in GC were also proved.The regulatory relationship between CASC19 and miR-491-5p,miR-491-5p and HMGA2 were validated through Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and reverse transcription PCR.Then CCK-8,Transwell,Wound healing assay,flow cytometry and animal experiments verify the role of CASC19/miR-491-5p/HMGA2 regulatory axis.RESULTS The expression level of CASC19 is related to the T stage,N stage,and tumor size of patients.Knockdown of the expression of CASC19 can inhibit the ability of proliferation,migration,invasion and EMT conversion of GC cells,and knocking down the expression of CASC19 can promote the apoptosis of GC cells.Increasing the expression of miR-491-5p can inhibit the proliferation of GC cells,miR-491-5p mimics can inhibit EMT conversion,and promote the apoptosis of GC cells,while decreasing the expression of miR-491-5p can promote the proliferation and EMT conversion and inhibit the apoptosis of GC cells.The expression of HMGA2 in GC tissues is higher than that in adjacent tissues.At the same time,the expression level of HMGA2 is related to the N and T stages of the patients.Reducing the level of HMGA2 can promote cell apoptosis and inhibit the proliferation of GC cells.Cell experiments and animal experiments have proved that CASC19 can regulates the expression of HMGA2 through miR-491-5p,thereby affecting the biological functions of GC.CONCLUSION CASC19 regulates the expression of HMGA2 through miR-491-5p to affect the development of GC.This axis may serve as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target of GC.

Designing Membrane Electrode Assembly for Electrochemical CO_(2)Reduction:a Review

Currently, the electrochemical CO_(2) reduction reaction (CO_(2) RR) can realize the resource conversion of CO_(2) , which is a promising approach to carbon resource use. Important advancements have been made in exploring the CO_(2) RR performance and mechanism because of the rational design of electrolyzer systems, such as H-cells, flow cells, and catalysts. Considering the future development direction of this technology and large-scale application needs, membrane electrode assembly (MEA) systems can improve energy use efficiency and achieve large-scale CO_(2) conversion, which is considered the most promising technology for industrial applications. This review will concentrate on the research progress and present situation of the MEA component structure. This paper begins with the composition and construction of a gas diff usion electrode. Then, the application of ion-exchange membranes in MEA is introduced. Furthermore, the eff ects of pH and the anion and cation of the anolyte on MEA performance are explored. Additionally, we present the anode reaction type in MEA. Finally, the challenges in this field are summarized, and upcoming trends are projected. This review should offer researchers a clearer picture of MEA systems and provide important, timely, and valuable insights into rational electrolyzer design to facilitate further development of CO_(2) electrochemical reduction.

Multi-objective optimization design of anti-roll torsion bar using improved beluga whale optimization algorithm

Purpose – This study aims to reduce the redundant weight of the anti-roll torsion bar brought by thetraditional empirical design and improving its strength and stiffness.Design/methodology/approach – Based on the finite element approach coupled with the improved belugawhale optimization (IBWO) algorithm, a collaborative optimization method is suggested to optimize the designof the anti-roll torsion bar structure and weight. The dimensions and material properties of the torsion bar weredefined as random variables, and the torsion bar’s mass and strength were investigated using finite elements.Then, chaotic mapping and differential evolution (DE) operators are introduced to improve the beluga whaleoptimization (BWO) algorithm and run case studies.Findings – The findings demonstrate that the IBWO has superior solution set distribution uniformity,convergence speed, solution correctness and stability than the BWO. The IBWO algorithm is used to optimizethe anti-roll torsion bar design. The error between the optimization and finite element simulation results wasless than 1%. The weight of the optimized anti-roll torsion bar was lessened by 4%, the maximum stress wasreduced by 35% and the stiffness was increased by 1.9%.Originality/value – The study provides a methodological reference for the simulation optimization process ofthe lateral anti-roll torsion bar.

Cluster-Based Content Download and Forwarding Scheme for Highway VANETs

The recent advances in wireless communication technology enable high-speed vehicles to download data from roadside units(RSUs). However, the data download volume of individual vehicle is rather restricted due to high mobility and limited transmission range of vehicles, bringing users poor performance. To address this issue, we exploit the combination of both clustering and carry-and-forward schemes in this paper. Our scheme coordinates the cooperation of multiple infrastructures, cluster formation in the same direction and data forwarding of reverse vehicles to facilitate the target vehicle to download large-size content in dark areas. The process of data dissemination and achievable data download volume are then derived and analyzed theoretically. Finally, we conduct extensive simulations to verify the performance of the proposed scheme. Results show significant benefits of the proposed scheme in terms of increasing data download volume and throughput.

基于深度极限学习机的高拱坝变形安全监测模型

研究高精度、可解释性强的变形监测模型对于高拱坝的安全管理至关重要。文章基于深度极限学习机(DELM)提出了一种新的拱坝变形监测模型。将所提模型应用在一座高拱坝变形安全监测项目上,通过与两种典型的基线模型进行比较,全面考察了所提出模型的预测精度、预警性能。结果表明,与两种基线模型相比,所提模型的过拟合程度进一步降低,预测和预警性能显著提高。DELM比一般的极限学习机(ELM)特征提取能力更强,同时比神经网络模型训练更简单。

腔内钬激光碎石术在输尿管结石患者中的运用效果研究

目的研究腔内钬激光碎石术(HLL)对输尿管结石的手术效果、炎症因子及氧化应激指标的影响。方法选取南华大学附属南华医院2015年10月-2017年2月收治的输尿管结石患者86例,采用随机数字表法分为对照组和观察组,每组各43例。对照组患者接受气压弹道碎石术(PL)治疗,观察组患者接受HLL治疗。比较两组患者的手术时间、住院时间、即刻清石率、1个月清石率、血尿消失时间及并发症发生率,同时比较两组患者手术前后的氧化应激指标和炎症因子、肾功能指标变化。结果观察组与对照组的手术时间、住院时间及血尿消失时间比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),观察组短于对照组;观察组与对照组的即刻清石率比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),观察组高于对照组;观察组与对照组术后的血清Cor、MDA、GSHpx、IL-2、IL-6、IL-10、TNF-α、Scr及BUN水平比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),观察组低于对照组,血清SOD水平高于对照组;两组患者的总并发症发生率比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论HLL治疗输尿管结石具有结石排出率高、术后恢复快、并发症少等优势,且降低手术对机体的氧化应激和炎症反应,值得在临床推广。

Isolation and initial characterization of GW5, a major QTL associated with rice grain width and weight

Grain weight is a major determinant of crop grain yield and is controlled by naturally occurring quantitative trait loci （QTLs）. We earlier identified a major QTL that controls rice grain width and weight, GW5, which was mapped to a recombination hotspot on rice chromosome 5. To gain a better understanding of how GW5 controls rice grain width, we conducted fine mapping of this locus and uncovered a 1 212-bp deletion associated with the increased grain width in the rice cultivar Asominori, in comparison with the slender grain rice IR24. In addition, genotyping analyses of 46 rice cultivars revealed that this deletion is highly correlated with the grain-width phenotype, suggesting that the GW5 deletion might have been selected during rice domestication. GW5 encodes a novel nuclear protein of 144 amino acids that is localized to the nucleus. Furthermore, we show that GW5 physically interacts with polyubiquitin in a yeast two-hybrid assay. Together, our results suggest that GW5 represents a major QTL underlying rice width and weight, and that it likely acts in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to regulate cell division during seed development. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms controlling rice grain development and suggests that GW5 could serve as a potential tool for high-yield breeding of crops.

Neuronal autophagy aggravates microglial inflammatory injury by downregulating CX3CL1/fractalkine after ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke often induces excessive neuronal autophagy, resulting in brain damage; meanwhile, inflammatory responses stimulated by ischemia exacerbate neural injury. However, interactions between neuronal autophagy and microglial inflammation following ischemic stroke are poorly understood. CX3CL1/fractalkine, a membrane-bound chemokine expressed on neurons, can suppress microglial inflammation by binding to its receptor CX3CR1 on microglia. In the present study, to investigate whether autophagy could alter CX3CL1 expression on neurons and consequently change microglial inflammatory activity, middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) was established in Sprague-Dawley rats to model ischemic stroke, and tissues from the ischemic penumbra were obtained to evaluate autophagy level and microglial inflammatory activity. MCAO rats were administered 3-methyladenine(autophagy inhibitor) or Tat-Beclin 1(autophagy inducer). Western blot assays were conducted to quantify expression of Beclin-1, nuclear factor kappa Bp65(NF-κB), light chain 3B(LC3B), and CX3CL1 in ischemic penumbra. Moreover, immunofluorescence staining was performed to quantify numbers of LC3B-, CX3CL1-, and Iba-1-positive cells in ischemic penumbra. In addition, enzyme linked immunosorbent assays were utilized to analyze concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α), interleukin 6(IL-6), interleukin 1 beta(IL-1β), and prostaglandin E2(PGE2). A dry/wet weight method was used to detect brain water content, while 2,3,5,-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining was utilized to measure infarct volume. The results demonstrated that autophagy signaling(Beclin-1 and LC3B expression) in penumbra was prominently activated by MCAO, while CX3CL1 expression on autophagic neurons was significantly reduced and microglial inflammation was markedly activated. However, after inhibition of autophagy signaling with 3-methyladenine, CX3CL1 expression on neurons was obviously increased, whereas Iba-1 and NF-κB expression was downregulated; TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and PGE2 levels were decreased; and cerebral edema was obviously mitigated. In contrast, after treatment with the autophagy inducer Tat-Beclin 1, CX3CL1 expression on neurons was further reduced; Iba-1 and NF-κB expression was increased; TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and PGE2 levels were enhanced; and cerebral edema was aggravated. Our study suggests that ischemia-induced neuronal autophagy facilitates microglial inflammatory injury after ischemic stroke, and the efficacy of this process may be associated with downregulated CX3CL1 expression on autophagic neurons.

Dietary resveratrol improves antioxidant status of sows and piglets and regulates antioxidant gene expression in placenta by Keap1-Nrf2 pathway and Sirt1

Background: Resveratrol, a plant phenol, affords protection against inflammation and oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary resveratrol supplementation during pregnancy and lactation on the antioxidant status of sows and piglets and on antioxidant gene expression and pathway in placenta.Methods: Forty sows were allotted to 2 dietary treatments 20 d after breeding. Sows were fed a control diet and a control diet with 300 mg/kg resveratrol. Oxidative stress biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes were measured in the placenta, milk, and plasma of sows and piglets. Antioxidant gene expression and protein expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1-Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Keap1-Nrf2), nuclear factor kappa B-p65(NFκB-p65) and sirtuin1(Sirt1) were quantified in the placenta.Results: Dietary resveratrol increased the litter and piglets weaning weights. Antioxidant status in the milk, placenta and plasma of sows and piglets was partially improved by dietary resveratrol. In placenta, Nrf2 protein expression was increased and Keap1 protein expression was decreased by dietary resveratrol. The m RNA expression of antioxidant genes including catalase(CAT), glutathione peroxidase 1(GPX1), GPX4, superoxide dismutase 1(SOD1)and heme oxygenase 1(HO1), and phase 2 detoxification genes, including glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier(GCLM), microsomal glutathione S-transferase 1(MGST1) and UDP glucuronosyltransferase family 1 member A1(UGT1 A1), was increased by dietary resveratrol. Dietary resveratrol also increased Sirt1 and phosphorylated NFκB-p65 protein expression in the placenta. We failed to observe any influences of dietary resveratrol on pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, including those of interleukin 1β(IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α). However, we observed that the m RNA expression of IL-8 in placenta was reduced by maternal resveratrol. In addition, dietary resveratrol showed interactive effects with day of lactation on activities of SOD and CAT and levels of malonaldehyde(MDA) and hydrogen peroxide(H2 O2) in milk.Conclusions: Dietary resveratrol supplementation during pregnancy and lactation improves the antioxidant status of sows and piglets, which is beneficial to the reproductive performance of sows. Dietary resveratrol regulates placental antioxidant gene expression by the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway and Sirt1 in placenta.

Magnifying narrow-band imaging endoscopy is superior in diagnosis of early gastric cancer

AIM:To evaluate the diagnostic effectiveness of white light endoscopy,magnifying endoscopy(ME),and magnifying narrow-band imaging endoscopy(ME-NBI) in detecting early gastric cancer(EGC).METHODS:From March 2010 to June 2012,a total of 3616 patients received screening for gastric cancer by magnifying endoscopy. There were 3675 focal gastric lesions detected using conventional high definition white light endoscopy(HD-WLE) in four different referentialhospitals that were recruited for further investigation using ME and ME-NBI. The images obtained from HD-WLE,ME,and ME-NBI were reviewed by four experienced endoscopists to evaluate their diagnostic effectiveness for EGC. The diagnosis of cancerous and non-cancerous lesions was conducted by evaluating the microvascular and microsurface patterns using the VS classification system. The final endoscopic diagnosis of each lesion was determined by consultation when a disagreement occurred. We used histopathological results as the gold standard for the diagnosis of EGC.RESULTS:Among the 3675 lesions found,1508 were validated by pathological findings as chronic gastritis,1279 as chronic gastritis with intestinal metaplasia,631 as low-grade neoplasia,and 257 as EGC. The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and accuracy of HD-WLE for the diagnosis of EGC were 71.2%,99.1%,85.5%,97.9% and 97.1%,respectively. The results of ME for diagnosing EGC were 81.3%,98.8%,83.3%,98.6% and 97.6%,respectively. The results of ME-NBI for the diagnosis of EGC were 87.2%,98.6%,82.1%,99.0% and 97.8%,respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy of paired ME and ME-NBI were significantly better than those of HD-WLE(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:HD-WLE has a relatively high accuracy for diagnosing EGC and is an effective screening tool. Further investigations of ME and ME-NBI are required to achieve superior accuracy.

Digital core approach to the effects of clay on the electrical properties of saturated rocks using lattice gas automation

Clay has a significant influence on the relationship between resistivity index I and water saturation Sw （i.e, I-Sw relationship） of reservoir rocks because it complicates the current paths of these rocks. It is difficult to reveal the physical mechanisms of these clay effects on the conductivities of various rocks by physical laboratory measurements because the pore structure, micro distribution and content of clay inside a rock can not be observed and controlled during the experiments. We present a digital rock approach to study these clay effects on the electrical transport properties of reservoir rocks at pore scale using lattice gas automation （LGA） method. The digital rock samples are constructed with the information of grain size distribution from SEM images of reservoir rocks. The LGA is then applied on these digital rocks fully saturated with fluids to simulate the electrical transport properties for revealing the effects of volume and distribution patterns of clay on the non-Archie behaviors of the I-Sw relationship. The very good agreement between the simulated results and the laboratory measurements clearly demonstrates the validity of the LGA in numerical research of rock physics. Based on these studies, a new model has been developed for quantitatively describing the relationship between the saturation exponent and the volume of clay （Vsh）. This development may improve the evaluation for the fluid saturations in reservoir rocks.

Advances in Sn-Based Catalysts for Electrochemical CO_(2) Reduction

The increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has led to the greenhouse effect,which greatly affects the climate and the ecological balance of nature.Therefore,converting CO2 into renewable fuels via clean and economical chemical processes has become a great concern for scientists.Electrocatalytic CO2 conversion is a prospective path toward carbon cycling.Among the different electrocatalysts,Sn-based electrocatalysts have been demonstrated as promising catalysts for CO2 electroreduction,producing formate and CO,which are important industrial chemicals.In this review,various Sn-based electrocatalysts are comprehensively summarized in terms of synthesis,catalytic performance,and reaction mechanisms for CO2 electroreduction.Finally,we concisely discuss the current challenges and opportunities of Sn-based electrocatalysts.

Identification of QTL and candidate genes involved in early seedling growth in rice via high-density genetic mapping and RNA-seq

Early seedling vigor(ESV)is a major breeding target in rice,especially under direct seeding.To identify quantitative trait locus(QTL)affecting ESV,a recombinant inbred line population derived from a cross between 02428 and YZX,two cultivars differing in vigor during early seedling growth,was used for QTL analysis.Nine traits associated with ESV were examined using a high-density map.Of 16 additive loci identified,three were detected in two generations and thus considered stable.Four epistatic interactions were detected,one of which was repeated in two generations.Further analysis of the pyramiding effect of the three stable QTL showed that the phenotypic value could be effectively improved with an increasing number of QTL.These results were combined with results from our previous QTL analysis of the germination index.The lines G58 and G182 combined all the favourable alleles of all three stable QTL for ESV and three QTL for germination speed.These two lines showed rapid germination and strong ESV.A total of 37 candidate differentially expressed genes were obtained from the regions of the three stable QTL by analysis of the dynamic transcriptomic expression profile during the seedling growth period of the two parents.The QTL are targets for ESV breeding and the candidate genes await functional validation.This study provides a theoretical basis and a genetic resource for the breeding of directseeded rice.

Flow-induced Noise and Vibration Analysis of a Piping Elbow with/without a Guide Vane

The effect of a guide vane installed at the elbow on flow-induced noise and vibration is investigated in the range of Reynolds numbers from 1.70×10^5 to 6.81×10^5, and the position of guide vane is determined by publications. The turbulent flow in the piping elbow is simulated with large eddy simulation （LES）. Following this, a hybrid method of combining LES and Lighthill＇s acoustic analogy theory is used to simulate the hydrodynamic noise and sound sources are solved as volume sources in code Actran. In addition, the flow-induced vibration of the piping elbow is investigated based on a fluid-structure interaction （FSI） code. The LES results indicate that the range of vortex zone in the elbow without the guide vane is larger than the case with the guide vane, and the guide vane is effective in reducing flow-induced noise and vibration in the 90° piping elbow at different Reynolds numbers.

Replication of clinical hepatitis B virus isolate and its application for selecting antiviral agents for chronic hepatitis B patients

AIM: To establish a cell model harboring replicative clinical hepatitis B virus (HBV) isolates and evaluate its application in individualized selection of anti-HBV agents for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. METHODS: The full-length HBV genomic DNA from 8 CHB patients was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All the patients were treated with lamivudine for at least seven months and finally became resistant to lamivudine. The amplified HBV DNA fragments were inserted into pHY106 vectors by Sap Ⅰ?digestion. The recombinant plasmids containing 1.1 copies of HBV genome were transiently transfected into Huh7 cell line, and the levels of HBsAg, HBeAg and intercellular HBV replicative intermediates were determined by ELISA and Southern blot analysis, respectively, with or without lamivudine and adefovir treatment. The antiviral treatment with adefovir was administered to the patients and analyzed in parallel. RESULTS: A total of 25 independent HBV isolateswere obtained from the sera of 8 patients, each patient had at least two isolates. One isolate from each individual was selected and subcloned into pHY106 vector, including 5 isolates with YVDD mutation and 3 isolates with YIDD mutation. All recombinant plasmids harboring HBV isolates were transfected into Huh7 cells. The results indicated that HBV genome carried in HBV replicons of clinical HBV isolates could effectively replicate and express in Huh7 cells. Adefovir, but not lamivudine, inhibited HBV replication both in vitro and in vivo, and in vitro inhibition was dose-dependent. CONCLUSION: The novel method described herein enables individualized selection of anti-HBV agents in clinic and is useful in future studies of antiviral therapy for CHB.

Left univentricular pacing for cardiac resynchronization therapy using rate-adaptive atrioventricular delay

Objective To evaluate left univentricular （LUV） pacing for cardiac resynchronization therapy （CRT） using a rate-adaptive atrioven- tricular delay （RAAVD） algorithm to track physiological atrioventricular delay （AVD）. Methods A total of 72 patients with congestive heart failure （CHF） were randomized to RAAVD LUV pacing versus standard biventricular （BiV） pacing in a 1 ： 1 ratio. Echocardiography was used to optimize AVD for both groups. The effects of sequential BiV pacing and LUV pacing with optimized A-V （right atrio-LV） delay using an RAAVD algorithm were compared. The standard deviation （SD） of the S/R ratio in lead VI at five heart rate （HR） segments （Rs/R-SD5）, defined as the ＂tracking index,＂ was used to evaluate the accuracy of the RAAVD algorithm for tracking physiological AVD. Results TheQRS complex duration （132 ± 9.8 vs. 138± 10ms, P 〈 0.05）, the time required for optimization （21 ±5 vs. 50±8min, P〈 0.001）, the mitral regurgitant area （1.9 ± 1.1 vs. 2.5 ± 1.3 em2, P 〈 0.05）, the interventricular mechanical delay time （60.7 ± 13.3 ms vs. 68.3 ± 14.2 ms, P 〈 0.05）, and the average annual cost （13,200 ± 1000 vs. 21,600 ± 2000 RMB, P 〈 0.001） in the RAAVD LUV pacing group were significantly less than those in the standard BiV pacing group. The aortic valve velocity-time integral in the RAAVD LUV pacing group was greater than that in the standard BiV pacing group （22.7 ± 2.2 vs. 21.4 ± 2.1 cm, P 〈 0.05）. The Rs/R-SD5 was 4.08 ± 1.91 in the RAAVD LUV pacing group, and was significantly negatively correlated with improved left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） （ALVEF, Pearson＇s r = -0.427, P = 0.009）, and positively correlated with New York Heart Association class （Spearman＇s r - 0.348, P 0.037）. Conclusions RAAVD LUV pacing is as effective as standard BiV pacing, can be more physiological than standard BiV pacing, and can de- crease the average annual cost of CRT.

Comparative investigations of ternary thermite Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO and Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3) from pyrolytic,kinetics and combustion behaviors

To develop new energy enhancement energetic materials with great combustion performance and thermal stability,two kinds of ternary thermite,Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO and Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3),were prepared and analyzed via mechanical ball milling.The samples were characterized by SEM,XRD,TG-DSC,constant volume and constant pressure combustion experiments.The first exothermic peaks of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO and Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3) appear at 579°C and 564.5°C,respectively.The corresponding activation energies are similar.The corresponding mechanism functions are set as G(a) = [-ln(1-a)]^(3/4) and G(a) =[-ln(1-a)]2/3,respectively,which belong to the Avrami-Erofeev equation.Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO has better thermal safety.For small dose samples,its critical temperature of thermal explosion is 121.05°C higher than that of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3).During combustion,the flame of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO is spherical,and the main products are FeAl_(2)O_(4) and Cu.The flame of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3)is jet-like,and the main products are Al_(2)O_(3),Bi and Fe.Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/Bi_(2)O_(3)has better ignition and gas production performance.Its average ignition energy is 4.2 J lower than that of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO.Its average step-up rate is 28.29 MPa/s,which is much higher than 6.84 MPa/s of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/CuO.This paper provides a reference for studying the thermal safety and combustion performance of ternary thermite.