Kangfuxin solution alleviates esophageal stenosis after endoscopic submucosal dissection:A natural ingredient strategy

BACKGROUND Esophageal stricture ranks among the most significant complications following endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD).Excessive fibrotic repair is a typical pathological feature leading to stenosis after ESD.AIM To examine the effectiveness and underlying mechanism of Kangfuxin solution(KFX)in mitigating excessive fibrotic repair of the esophagus post-ESD.METHODS Pigs received KFX at 0.74 mL/kg/d for 21 days after esophageal full circumferential ESD.Endoscopic examinations occurred on days 7 and 21 post-ESD.In vitro,recombinant transforming growth factor(TGF)-β1(5 ng/mL)induced a fibrotic microenvironment in primary esophageal fibroblasts(pEsF).After 24 hours of KFX treatment(at 1.5%,1%,and 0.5%),expression ofα-smooth muscle actin-2(ACTA2),fibronectin(FN),and type collagen I was assessed.Profibrotic signaling was analyzed,including TGF-β1,Smad2/3,and phosphor-smad2/3(p-Smad2/3).RESULTS Compared to the Control group,the groups treated with KFX and prednisolone exhibited reduced esophageal stenosis,lower weight loss rates,and improved food tolerance 21 d after ESD.After treatment,Masson staining revealed thinner and less dense collagen fibers in the submucosal layer.Additionally,the expression of fibrotic effector molecules was notably inhibited.Mechanistically,KFX downregulated the transduction levels of fibrotic functional molecules such as TGF-β1,Smad2/3,and p-Smad2/3.In vitro,pEsF exposed to TGF-β1-induced fibrotic microenvironment displayed increased fibrotic activity,which was reversed by KFX treatment,leading to reduced activation of ACTA2,FN,and collagen I.The 1.5%KFX treatment group showed decreased expression of p-Smad 2/3 in TGF-β1-activated pEsF.CONCLUSION KFX showed promise as a therapeutic option for post-full circumferential esophageal ESD strictures,potentially by suppressing fibroblast fibrotic activity through modulation of the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway.

A GENERAL AVERAGING METHOD FOR AFFINE PERIODIC SOLUTIONS

We consider the persistence of affine periodic solutions for perturbed affine periodic systems.Such(Q,T)-affine periodic solutions have the form x(t+T)=Qx(t)for all t∈R,where T>0 is fixed and Q is a nonsingular matrix.These are a kind of spatiotemporal symmetric solutions,e.g.spiral waves.We give the averaging method for the existence of affine periodic solutions in two situations:one in which the initial values of the affine periodic solutions of the unperturbed system form a manifold,and another that does not rely on the structure of the initial values of the unperturbed system's affine periodic solutions.The transversal condition is determined using the Brouwer degree.We also present a higher order averaging method for general degenerate systems by means of the Brouwer degree and a Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction.

Effect of solution treatment and aging on microstructural evolution and mechanical behavior of NiTi shape memory alloy

As-received nickel-titanium （NiTi） shape memory alloy with a nominal composition of Ni50.9Ti49.1 （mole fraction,%） was subjected to solution treatment at 1123 K for 2 h and subsequent aging for 2 h at 573 K, 723 K and 873 K, respectively. The influence of solution treatment and aging on microstructural evolution and mechanical behavior of NiTi alloy was systematically investigated by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, high resolution transmission electron microscopy （HRTEM）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and compression test. Solution treatment contributes to eliminating the Ti2Ni phase in the as-received NiTi sample, in which the TiC phase is unable to be removed. Solution treatment leads to ordered domain of atomic arrangement in NiTi alloy. In all the aged NiTi samples, the Ni4Ti3 precipitates, the R phase and the B2 austenite coexist in the NiTi matrix at room temperature, while the martensitic twins can be observed in the NiTi samples aged at 873 K. In the NiTi samples aged at 573 and 723 K, the fine and dense Ni4Ti3 precipitates distribute uniformly in the NiTi matrix, and thus they are coherent with the B2 matrix. However, in the NiTi sample aged at 873 K, the Ni4Ti3 precipitates exhibit the very inhomogeneous size, and they are coherent, semi-coherent and incoherent with the B2 matrix. In the case of aging at 723 K, the NiTi sample exhibits the maximum yield strength, where the fine and homogeneous Ni4Ti3 precipitates act as the effective obstacles against the dislocation motion, which results in the maximum critical resolved shear stress for dislocation slip.

Dendritic spine degeneration:a primary mechanism in the aging process

Recent reports suggest that aging is not solely a physiological process in living beings;instead, it should be considered a pathological process or disease(Amorim et al., 2022). Consequently, this process involves a wide range of factors, spanning from genetic to environmental factors, and even includes the gut microbiome(GM)(Mayer et al., 2022). All these processes coincide at some point in the inflammatory process, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, at different degrees in various organs and systems that constitute a living organism(Mayer et al., 2022;AguilarHernández et al., 2023).

Regeneration mechanisms and therapeutic strategies for neuromuscular junctions in aging and diseases

The neuromuscular junction(NMJ)is an essential synaptic structure composed of motor neurons,skeletal muscles,and glial cells that orchestrate the critical process of muscle contraction(Li et al.,2018).The typical NMJ structure is classically described as having a“pretzel-like”shape in mice(Figure 1),whereas human NMJs have a smaller,fragmented structure throughout adulthood.Degenerated NMJs exhibit smaller or fragmented endplates,partial denervation,reduced numbers of synaptic vesicles,abnormal presynaptic mitochondria,and dysfunctional perisynaptic Schwann cells(Alhindi et al.,2022).

Decline and fall of aging astrocytes:the human perspective

“Last scene of all that ends this strange,eventful history,is second childishness and mere oblivion.I am sans teeth,sans eyes,sans taste,sans everything.”William Shakespeare‘As You Like It'Act 2,Sc.7,l.139Aging of the human brain is characterized by a progressive decline of its functional capacity;this decline however varies widely,and cognitive longevity differs substantially between individuals.

Neuronal regulated cell death in aging-related neurodegenerative diseases:key pathways and therapeutic potentials

Regulated cell death(such as apoptosis,necroptosis,pyroptosis,autophagy,cuproptosis,ferroptosis,disulfidptosis)involves complex signaling pathways and molecular effectors,and has been proven to be an important regulatory mechanism for regulating neuronal aging and death.However,excessive activation of regulated cell death may lead to the progression of aging-related diseases.This review summarizes recent advances in the understanding of seven forms of regulated cell death in age-related diseases.Notably,the newly identified ferroptosis and cuproptosis have been implicated in the risk of cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases.These forms of cell death exacerbate disease progression by promoting inflammation,oxidative stress,and pathological protein aggregation.The review also provides an overview of key signaling pathways and crosstalk mechanisms among these regulated cell death forms,with a focus on ferroptosis,cuproptosis,and disulfidptosis.For instance,FDX1 directly induces cuproptosis by regulating copper ion valency and dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase aggregation,while copper mediates glutathione peroxidase 4 degradation,enhancing ferroptosis sensitivity.Additionally,inhibiting the Xc-transport system to prevent ferroptosis can increase disulfide formation and shift the NADP^(+)/NADPH ratio,transitioning ferroptosis to disulfidptosis.These insights help to uncover the potential connections among these novel regulated cell death forms and differentiate them from traditional regulated cell death mechanisms.In conclusion,identifying key targets and their crosstalk points among various regulated cell death pathways may aid in developing specific biomarkers to reverse the aging clock and treat age-related neurodegenerative conditions.

Decoding molecular mechanisms:brain aging and Alzheimer's disease

The complex morphological,anatomical,physiological,and chemical mechanisms within the aging brain have been the hot topic of research for centuries.The aging process alters the brain structure that affects functions and cognitions,but the worsening of such processes contributes to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders,such as Alzheimer's disease.Beyond these observable,mild morphological shifts,significant functional modifications in neurotransmission and neuronal activity critically influence the aging brain.Understanding these changes is important for maintaining cognitive health,especially given the increasing prevalence of age-related conditions that affect cognition.This review aims to explore the age-induced changes in brain plasticity and molecular processes,differentiating normal aging from the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease,thereby providing insights into predicting the risk of dementia,particularly Alzheimer's disease.

Hamiltonian system for the inhomogeneous plane elasticity of dodecagonal quasicrystal plates and its analytical solutions

A Hamiltonian system is derived for the plane elasticity problem of two-dimensional dodecagonal quasicrystals by introducing the simple state function. By using symplectic elasticity approach, the analytic solutions of the phonon and phason displacements are obtained further for the quasicrystal plates. In addition, the effectiveness of the approach is verified by comparison with the data of the finite integral transformation method.

Unraveling brain aging through the lens of oral microbiota

The oral cavity is a complex physiological community encompassing a wide range of microorganisms.Dysbiosis of oral microbiota can lead to various oral infectious diseases,such as periodontitis and tooth decay,and even affect systemic health,including brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases.Recent studies have highlighted how oral microbes might be involved in brain aging and neurodegeneration,indicating potential avenues for intervention strategies.In this review,we summarize clinical evidence demonstrating a link between oral microbes/oral infectious diseases and brain aging/neurodegenerative diseases,and dissect potential mechanisms by which oral microbes contribute to brain aging and neurodegeneration.We also highlight advances in therapeutic development grounded in the realm of oral microbes,with the goal of advancing brain health and promoting healthy aging.

Effects of anode slime removing by Fe^(2+)dissolution method on electrochemical properties of Pb−0.6%Ag anode and zinc electrowinning

Fe^(2+)dissolution method and manual method were used to remove the anode slime and their effects on properties of cast Pb−0.6wt.%Ag anode and zinc electrowinning were compared.The results reveal that the Fe^(2+)dissolution method can avoid mechanical damage to the oxide film layer on the anode surface,which cannot be achieved by traditional manual method.This can lower the anode corrosion rate by 57.14%,thus reducing Pb contamination in electrolyte and zinc products.Meanwhile,compared with manual method,Fe^(2+)dissolution method can significantly improve the electrocatalytic activity of the anode and lower the initial power consumption of zinc electrowinning to 2720 kW·h/t after removing anode slime.

Microstructure and Properties of Cu-Cr-Zr Alloy after Rapidly Solidified Aging and Solid Solution Aging

The structure and properties of Cu-Cr-Zr alloy were studied after rapidly solidified aging and solid solution aging.At the early stage of aging （500℃ for 15 rain）, the hardness and the conductivity of the alloy rapidly solidified are 143 HV and 72% IACS, respectively. Under the same aging condition, the hardness and electrical conductivity of the alloy solid solution treated can reach 86 HV and 47% IACS, respectively. The microstructure was analyzed, and the grain size after rapid solidification is much smaller than that after solid solution treatment. By rapidly solidified aging the fine precipitates distribute inside the grains and along the grain boundary, while by solid solution aging there are large Cr particles along the grain boundary.

Mechanism of high temperature oxidation of Inconel 625 superalloy with various solution and ageing heat treatment processes

The high-temperature oxidation behaviour of the Inconel 625 alloy at 950℃ was investigated after different ageing treatments.The effect of heat treatment on the oxidation behaviour of the alloy was analysed by characterizing the structure and elemental distribution before and after oxidation.The results reveal that the two ageing treatments at 650℃ for 500 h and at 750℃ for 400 h both reduced the oxidation mass gain.After oxidation at 950℃,an outer Cr_(2)O_(3) layer and inner Al_(2)O_(3) are identified as the main oxidation products.Moreover,Nb_(2)O_(5) andδ(Ni_(3)Nb)phases precipitated after oxidation.The ageing treatments cause the rapid generation of a dense Cr_(2)O_(3) layer on the surface,which prevents the diffusion of oxygen into the matrix,reduce the Al_(2)O_(3) inward growth depth,and improve the oxidation resistance of the alloy.

Efficacy of ginseng-based Renshenguben oral solution for cancer-related fatigue among patients with advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma:A prospective multicenter cohort study

Background:Cancer-related fatigue(CRF)is a common and debilitating symptom experienced by patients with advanced-stage cancer,especially those undergoing antitumor therapy.This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Renshenguben(RSGB)oral solution,a ginseng-based traditional Chinese medicine,in alleviating CRF in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)receiving antitumor treatment.Methods:In this prospective,open-label,controlled,multicenter study,patients with advanced HCC at BCLC stage C and a brief fatigue inventory(BFI)score of≥4 were enrolled.Participants were assigned to the RSGB group(RSGB,10 mL twice daily)or the control group(with supportive care).Primary and secondary endpoints were the change in multidimensional fatigue inventory(MFI)score,and BFI and functional assessment of cancer therapy-hepatobiliary(FACT-Hep)scores at weeks 4 and 8 after enrollment.Adverse events(AEs)and toxicities were assessed.Results:A total of 409 participants were enrolled,with 206 assigned to the RSGB group.At week 4,there was a trend towards improvement,but the differences were not statistically significant.At week 8,the RSGB group exhibited a significantly lower MFI score(P<0.05)compared to the control group,indicating improved fatigue levels.Additionally,the RSGB group showed significantly greater decrease in BFI and FACT-Hep scores at week 8(P<0.05).Subgroup analyses among patients receiving various antitumor treatments showed similar results.Multivariate linear regression analyses revealed that the RSGB group experienced a significantly substantial decrease in MFI,BFI,and FACT-Hep scores at week 8.No serious drug-related AEs or toxicities were observed.Conclusions:RSGB oral solution effectively reduced CRF in patients with advanced HCC undergoing antitumor therapy over an eight-week period,with no discernible toxicities.These findings support the potential of RSGB oral solution as an adjunctive treatment for managing CRF in this patient population.

Experimental investigation of dynamic characteristics of leaching tubing for solution mining of salt cavern carbon and energy storage

Salt caverns are extensively utilized for storing various substances such as fossil energy,hydrogen,compressed air,nuclear waste,and industrial solid waste.In China,when the salt cavern is leached through single-well water solution mining with oil as a cushion,engineering challenges arise with the leaching tubing,leading to issues like damage and instability.These problems significantly hinder the progress of cavern construction and the control of cavern shape.The primary cause of this is the flowinduced vibration instability of leaching tubing within a confined space,which results in severe bending or damage to the tubing.This study presents a model experimental investigation on the dynamic characteristics of leaching tubing using a self-developed liquid-solid coupling physical model experiment apparatus.The experiment utilizes a silicone-rubber pipe(SRP)and a polycarbonate pipe(PCP)to examine the effects of various factors on the dynamic stability of cantilevered pipes conveying fluid.These factors include external space constraint,flexural rigidity,medium outside the pipe,overhanging length,and end conditions.The experiments reveal four dynamic response phenomena:water hammer,static buckling,chaotic motion,and flutter instability.The study further demonstrates that the length of the external space constraint has a direct impact on the flutter critical flow velocity of the cantilevered pipe conveying fluid.Additionally,the flutter critical flow velocity is influenced by the end conditions and different external media.

Improvement effect of reversible solid solutions Mg_(2)Ni(Cu)/Mg_(2)Ni(Cu)H_(4)on hydrogen storage performance of MgH_(2)

The hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetic properties of MgH_(2)can be effectively enhanced by doping specific catalysts.In this work,MOFs-derived NiCu@C nanoparticles(~15 nm)with regular core-shell structure were successfully prepared and introduced into MgH_(2)(denoted as MgH_(2)-NiCu@C).The onset and peak temperatures of hydrogen desorption of MgH_(2)-11 wt.%NiCu@C are 175.0℃and282.2℃,respectively.The apparent activation energy of dehydrogenated reaction is 77.2±4.5 kJ/mol for MgH_(2)-11 wt.%NiCu@C,which is lower than half of that of the as-milled MgH_(2).Moreover,MgH_(2)-11 wt.%NiCu@C displays great cyclic stability.The strengthening"hydrogen pumping"effect of reversible solid solutions Mg_(2)Ni(Cu)/Mg_(2)Ni(Cu)H_(4)is proposed to explain the remarkable improvement in hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetic properties of MgH_(2).This work offers a novel perspective for the design of bimetallic nanoparticles and beyond for application in hydrogen storage and other energy related fields.

Hydrophobic CHA-ZIFs with a junctional trap between cha and d6r cages for adsorption of 2,3-butanediol in aqueous solution

The adsorption and separation of diols from dilute aqueous solution using hydrophobic materials is very challenging due to the strong diol-water hydrogen-bonding interactions. Herein, we screened hydrophobic zeolitic imidazolate frameworks(ZIFs) with chabazite(CHA) topology for separation of 2,3-butanediol(2,3-BDO) and 1,3-propanediol(1,3-PDO), which had junctional and hydrophobic traps matching the two end methyl groups of the 2,3-BDO molecule. Based on CHA-ZIFs with the same small-sized ligand 2-methylimidazole(mIm) and different large-sized ligand benzimidazole derivatives(RbIm),CHA-ZIFs with larger surface areas were obtained by the addition of excess small-sized ligand mIm in the synthesis process. We showed that all of the hydrophobic CHA-ZIFs preferentially adsorbed 2,3-BDO over 1,3-PDO by static batch adsorption and dynamic column adsorption experiments. But ZIF-301 and ZIF-300 with halogen groups exhibited better adsorptive separation performance for 2,3-BDO/1,3-PDO than ZIF-302 with methyl groups. For a typical ZIF-301, its adsorption capacity for 2,3-BDO was 116.4 mg·g^(-1)and selectivity for 2,3-BDO/1,3-PDO was 3.8 in dynamic column adsorption of the binary-component system(2,3-BDO/1,3-PDO: 50 g·L^(-1)/50 g·L^(-1)). Computational simulations revealed that 2,3-BDO preferentially adsorbed in a trap at the junction between the cha and d6r cages of CHA-ZIFs,meaning the strong host-guest interactions. Therefore, the hydrophobic CHA-ZIFs with a junctional trap were promising candidate materials for adsorbing 2,3-BDO, which also provided a new perspective for separating diols in dilute aqueous solutions.

Analytical solutions to the precession relaxation of magnetization with uniaxial anisotropy

Based on the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert(LLG)equation,the precession relaxation of magnetization is studied when the external field H is parallel to the uniaxial anisotropic field H_(k).The evolution of three-component magnetization is solved analytically under the condition of H=nH_(k)(n=3,1 and 0).It is found that with an increase of H or a decrease of the initial polar angle of magnetization,the relaxation time decreases and the angular frequency of magnetization increases.For comparison,the analytical solution for H_(k)=0 is also given.When the magnetization becomes stable,the angular frequency is proportional to the total effective field acting on the magnetization.The analytical solutions are not only conducive to the understanding of the precession relaxation of magnetization,but also can be used as a standard model to test the numerical calculation of LLG equation.

MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS TO CRITICAL MAGNETIC SCHRODINGER EQUATIONS

In this paper,we are concerned with the existence of multiple solutions to the critical magnetic Schrödinger equation(-i▽-a(x))^(2)u+⒂λV(x)u=p|u|^(p-2)u+(∫R(n)|u(y)|^(2)_(a)^(*)/|x-y|^(a)dy)|u|2_(a)^(*)-2_(u)in R^(N),(0.1)where N≥4,2≤p<2^(*),2_α^(*)=(2N-α)/(N-2)with 0<α<4,λ>0,μ∈R,A(x)=(A_(1)(x),A_(2)(x),…,A_(N)(x))is a real local Hölder continuous vector function,i is the imaginary unit,and V(x)is a real valued potential function on R^(N).Supposing thatΩ=int V^(-1)(0)■R^(N)is bounded,we show that problem(0.1)possesses at least cat_(Ω)(Ω)nontrivial solutions ifλis large.

Exact solutions for magnetohydrodynamic nanofluids flow and heat transfer over a permeable axisymmetric radially stretching/shrinking sheet

We report on the magnetohydrodynamic impact on the axisymmetric flow of Al_(2)O_(3)/Cu nanoparticles suspended in H_(2)O past a stretched/shrinked sheet.With the use of partial differential equations and the corresponding thermophysical characteristics of nanoparticles,the physical flow process is illustrated.The resultant nonlinear system of partial differential equations is converted into a system of ordinary differential equations using the suitable similarity transformations.The transformed differential equations are solved analytically.Impacts of the magnetic parameter,solid volume fraction and stretching/shrinking parameter on momentum and temperature distribution have been analyzed and interpreted graphically.The skin friction and Nusselt number were also evaluated.In addition,existence of dual solution was deduced for the shrinking sheet and unique solution for the stretching one.Further,Al_(2)O_(3)/H_(2)O nanofluid flow has better thermal conductivity on comparing with Cu/H_(2)O nanofluid.Furthermore,it was found that the first solutions of the stream are stable and physically realizable,whereas those of the second ones are unstable.