Circ_PABPC1 promotes the malignancy of gastric cancer through interacting with ILK to activate NF-κB pathway.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is a common cancer type with both high incidence and mortality. Recent studies have revealed an important role of circRNA in the development of GC. However, more experiments are needed to reveal the precise molecular mechanisms of circRNA in GC development. METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to predict the potential role of circ_PABPC1 in GC and the target proteins of circ_PABPC1. Quantitative RT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry assays were conducted to detect the levels of circ_PABPC1, NF-κB p65, NF-κB p65 (Ser536) and ILK. MTT, Edu staining, cell scratch-wound and trans-well assays were carried out to detect cell proliferation, migration and invasion. The interaction between ILK and circ_PABPC1 was confirmed by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull-down and fluorescence in situ hybridization assays. Genetically modified GC cells were injected into mice to evaluate the tumor growth performance. RESULTS: This study found that the high expression of circ_PABPC1 was associated with a poor prognosis of GC. The up-regulation of circ_PABPC1 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of GC cells. Circ_PABPC1 bound to ILK protein, thereby preventing the degradation of ILK. ILK mediated the effect of circ_PABPC1 on GC cells through activating NF-κB. CONCLUSION: circ_PABPC1 promotes the malignancy of GC cells through binding to ILK to activate NF-κB signaling pathway.

Designing a Magnesium/Sodium Hybrid Battery Using Hierarchical Iron Selenide Architecture as Cathode Material and Modified Dual-Ion Salts in Ether as Electrolyte.

We developed a magnesium/sodium (Mg/Na) hybrid battery using a hierarchical disk-whisker FeSe2 architecture (HD-FeSe2) as the cathode material and a modified dual-ion electrolyte. The polarizable Se2- anion reduced the Mg2+ migration barrier, and the 3D configuration possessed a large surface area, which facilitated both Mg2+/Na+ cation diffusion and electron transport. The dual-ion salts with NaTFSI in ether reduced the Mg plating/stripping overvoltage in a symmetric cell. The hybrid battery exhibited an energy density of 260.9 Wh kg-1 and a power density of 600.8 W kg-1 at 0.2 A g-1. It showed a capacity retention of 154 mAh g-1 and a Coulombic efficiency of over 99.5% under 1.0 A g-1 after 800 long cycles. The battery also displayed outstanding temperature tolerance. The findings of 3D architecture as cathode material and hybrid electrolyte provide a pathway to design a highly reliable Mg/Na hybrid battery.

Scutellaria barbata D.Don extract regulates Ezrin-mediated triple negative breast cancer progress via suppressing the RhoA /ROCK1 signaling.

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) lacks effective therapeutic targets. Scutellaria barbata D.Don (SB) has been revealed to have anti-breast cancer (BC) effect, but the effect of SB extract in TNBC is still unclear. Herein, this research delves into the underlying mechanism. Methods: SB was extracted by solvent extraction, and the main components were identified using an Agilent 6,520 HPLC-Chip/Q-TOF (Chip/Q-TOF) MS system. In vitro cell experiments were conducted. The effects of SB extract alone, SB extract plus EGF, GSK alone, GSK plus Ezrin overexpression, or SB extract plus Ezrin overexpression on cell viability, invasion, migration, and apoptosis were examined by cell function experiments. The apoptosis- and RhoA/ROCK1 pathway-related protein levels were analyzed by western blot assay. Results: Mass spectrometry analysis exhibited that SB extract mainly contains long-chain fatty acids and ursolic acid. SB extract mitigated TNBC cell biological phenotypes, apoptosis- and RhoA/ROCK1 pathway-related marker expressions, which were reversed by EGF. The further results found that GSK obviously weakens TNBC cell biological behaviors, apoptosis- and RhoA/ROCK1 signaling-related protein levels, while oe-Ezrin treatment reverses the effect of GSK on TNBC cells. Moreover, SB extract regulated Ezrin-mediated function of TNBC cells by impeding the RhoA/ROCK1 pathway. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that SB extract regulated Ezrin-mediated proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of TNBC cells via suppressing the RhoA /ROCK1 signaling. Our results offer the experimental foundation for further investigation of the anti-cancer role of SB in TNBC cells. Highlights: SB extract inhibits the biological phenotypes of TNBC cells.SB extract inhibits the biological behaviors of TNBC cells through the RhoA/ROCK1 pathway.SB extract modulates Ezrin-mediated TNBC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis via restraining the RhoA/ROCK1 signaling.

An injectable hydrogel microsphere-integrated training court to inspire tumor-infiltrating T lymphocyte potential.

Although tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TIL-Ts) play a crucial role in solid tumor immunotherapy, their clinical application has been limited because of the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Herein, we developed an injectable hydrogel microsphere-integrated training court (MS-ITC) to inspire the function of TIL-Ts and amplify TIL-Ts, through grafting with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies and bovine serum albumin nanoparticles encapsulated with IL-7 and IL-15. MS-ITC provided the T-cell receptor and co-stimulatory signals required for TIL-Ts activation and IL-7/IL-15 signals for TIL-Ts expansion. Afterward, the MS-ITC was injected locally into the osteosarcoma tumor tissue in mice. MS-ITC suppressed the growth of primary osteosarcoma by more than 95 %, accompanied with primed and expanded TIL-Ts in the tumor tissues, compromising significantly increased CD8+ T and memory T cells, thereby enhancing the anti-tumor effect. Together, this work provides an injectable hydrogel microsphere-integrated training platform capable of inspiring TIL-Ts potential for a range of solid tumor immunotherapy.

Kyphoplasty is associated with reduced mortality risk for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Vertebral augmentation, such as vertebroplasty (VP) or kyphoplasty (KP), has been utilized for decades to treat OVCFs; however, the precise impact of this procedure on reducing mortality risk remains a topic of controversy. This study aimed to explore the potential protective effects of vertebral augmentation on mortality in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) using a large-scale meta-analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed and Web of Science databases were employed for literature exploration until May 2023. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were utilized as a summary statistic via random-effect models. Statistical analysis was executed using Review Manager 5.3 software. RESULTS: After rigorous screening, a total of five studies with substantial sample sizes were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. The total number of participants included in the study was an 2,421,178, comprising of 42,934 cases of vertebral augmentation and 1,991,244 instances of non-operative management. The surgical intervention was found to be significantly associated with an 18% reduction in the risk of mortality (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.78, 0.85). Subgroup analysis revealed a remarkable 71% reduction in mortality risk following surgical intervention during short-term follow-up (HR 0.29; 95% CI 0.26, 0.32). Furthermore, KP exhibited a superior and more credible decrease in the risk of mortality when compared to VP treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Based on a comprehensive analysis of large samples, vertebral augmentation has been shown to significantly reduce the mortality risk associated with OVCFs, particularly in the early stages following fractures. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that KP is more reliable and effective than VP in terms of mitigating mortality risk.

[Meteorological Impact Assessment of PM2.5 and O3 Complex Pollution in Key Regions of China Based on Meteorological Conditions Index].

Meteorological conditions play a key role in the occurrence and evolution of atmospheric complex pollution. Considering the different pollution formation mechanisms of PM2.5 and O3, statistical calculation and in-depth learning methods were used to construct the PM2.5 and O3 meteorological condition indexes based on long-term pollution meteorological observation data. A research method was developed to study the meteorological characteristics and impact contribution of atmospheric complex pollution by using the meteorological condition index, and quantitative analysis of the distribution and variation of pollution excluding the influence of regional meteorological differences was also conducted. The results showed that in the summer of 2021, the pollution meteorological conditions in the key regions in central and eastern China were generally worse in the north and better in the south(index:"2+26" cities>the border area of Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong, and Henan>the Yangtze River Delta) and the worst in June and the best in July. The "double high" pollution began to appear when the PM2.5 meteorological condition index>30 and O3 meteorological condition index>100; meanwhile, the unfavorable meteorological conditions for O3 also promoted the increase in PM2.5 concentration, resulting in the frequency of "double high" increases with the increase in O3 meteorological condition index. Compared with that during the same period last year, ρ(PM2.5) of each region decreased by 3.9 µg·m-3, 3.3 µg·m-3, and 1.4 µg·m-3 due to the contribution of the improvement in the pollution meteorological conditions, which is nearly 58.5% on average of the total decrease in PM2.5 concentration. However, the change in O3 pollution meteorological conditions was better in the north and worse in the south, and the overall deterioration in the Yangtze River Delta Region led to approximately 2.8 µg·m-3 growth for the O3 concentration. The PM2.5 and O3 concentrations after excluding the impact of meteorological differences showed different distribution characteristics from the air quality monitoring, in which the high concentrations of PM2.5 were distributed along the Bohai Sea, the inter-provincial border, and the south of the region, whereas the high concentrations of O3 were concentrated along the Taihang Mountains, around Mount Tai, and in parts of the Yangtze River Delta. The daily concentration variations in a single city during a specific pollution control period could be used as a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of local supervision and control, which will provide a reference for the dynamic supervision and daily scheduling of local control management.

A nanowire-on-microrod polyaniline@FeS2 hybrid as the cathode in high-performance Al-ion batteries.

A nanowire-on-microrod structured polyaniline (PANI)@FeS2 hybrid was developed via a facile metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived chemical method. The in situ grown PANI nanowires on the surface of pyramidal FeS2 microrods displayed better mechanical flexibility and improved Al-storage performance. The PANI nanowires not only enhanced electron transfer during the electrochemical reaction, but also accommodated the volume expansion of FeS2 during discharge. The PANI@FeS2 hybrid as the cathode in AIBs delivered a reliable battery capacity of 152.8 mA h g-1 along with a Coulombic efficiency of >96.5% after 500 cycles at a current density of 1.5 A g-1. In addition, a high capacity retention of 160.2 mA h g-1 after 150 cycles at 0.5 A g-1 at -10 °C was achieved. These findings provide a feasible strategy by constructing a nanowire-on-microrod hybrid that can be applied in high-performance secondary batteries.

Driving factors of community-level leaf stoichiometry patterns in a typical temperate mountain meadow ecosystem of northern China.

In ecological stoichiometry, the stoichiometry and spatial distribution of leaf carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus are important research topics. Various studies have assessed leaf stoichiometry and its relationships with environmental factors at different scales. However, how the leaf carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometric characteristics of the same vegetation type at the community level vary with environmental factors along a continuous altitudinal gradient remains poorly understood. In this paper, 13 sampling sites along an altitudinal gradient of 1,800-3,011 m in a typical temperate mountain meadow ecosystem on the southern slope of the Wutai Mountain in North China were sampled to explore the response of leaf carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometric characteristics to altitude change using correlation analysis, and then quantified the contribution of driving factors using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and variation partitioning. We found that the community-level leaf stoichiometry of mountain meadows differed significantly at different altitudes, and an increase in altitude significantly decreased community-level leaf total nitrogen (LTN) and leaf total phosphorus (LTP); however, the leaf total carbon (LTC), C∶N, C∶P, and N∶P increased with an increase in altitude. Additionally, with increasing altitude, soil properties showed significant trends. Soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (STN), soil total phosphorus (STP), soil water content and soil electrical conductivity increased significantly, but soil temperature, soil bulk density and soil pH exhibited the opposite trend. Our results suggested that altitude, soil electrical conductivity and soil bulk density significantly influenced the changes in the leaf stoichiometric characteristics, explaining 75.5% of the total variation, and altitude had the greatest influence (36.6%). In the temperate mountains, altitude played a decisive role in affecting patterns of meadow plant nutrients and stoichiometry and was more important than soil in explaining leaf C∶N∶P stoichiometry variations. Our findings provide important references to understand the responses of plant stoichiometry to altitudinal gradients.

Recurrence of Local Kyphosis After Percutaneous Kyphoplasty: The Neglected Injury of the Disc-Endplate Complex.

Background: Recurrent of local kyphosis after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) is rarely reported and discussed. Literatures reported that re-kyphosis is usually a consequence of refractures of augmented or adjacent vertebra. However, whether re-kyphosis should be considered as a complication of refractures and has an impact on clinical efficacy of PKP during follow-up time is unknown. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the related risk factors and clinical significance of the recurrent of local kyphosis in osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) patients without refractures. Patients and Methods: A total of 143 patients who underwent single-level PKP were recruited and assigned into the re-kyphosis group and non-re-kyphosis group. Clinical and radiographic data were collected and compared between the two groups. Then, multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the related risk factors. Results: During follow-up, 16 of the 143 patients presented postoperative re-kyphosis. The average local kyphosis angle increased from 11.81±8.60° postoperatively to 25.13±8.91° at the final follow-up which showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Both groups had significant improvements in postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores compared to their preoperative values (p<0.05). However, in the re-kyphosis group at final follow-up, the VAS and ODI scores showed worsening compared to the postoperative scores. Logistic regression analysis showed that disc-endplate complex injury (OR=17.46, p=0.003); local kyphosis angle correction (OR=1.84, p<0.001); and vertebral height restoration (OR=1.15, p=0.003) were risk factors for re-kyphosis. Conclusion: Re-kyphosis is not rare in patients with osteoporotic vertebral fracture and tends to have an inferior prognosis following PKP surgery. Patients with disc-endplate complex injury and more correction of vertebral height and kyphosis angle are at a higher risk for re-kyphosis after PKP surgery than others.

Long-Cycling-Life Sodium-Ion Battery Using Binary Metal Sulfide Hybrid Nanocages as Anode.

Due to the relatively high capacity and lower cost, transition metal sulfides (TMS) as anode show promising potential in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Herein, a binary metal sulfide hybrid consisting of carbon encapsulated CoS/Cu2 S nanocages (CoS/Cu2 S@C-NC) is constructed. The interlocked hetero-architecture filled with conductive carbon accelerates the Na+ /e- transfer, thus leading to improved electrochemical kinetics. Also the protective carbon layer can provide better volume accommondation upon charging/discharging. As a result, the battery with CoS/Cu2 S@C-NC as anode displays a high capacity of 435.3 mAh g-1 after 1000 cycles at 2.0 A g-1 (≈3.4 C). Under a higher rate of 10.0 A g-1 (≈17 C), a capacity of as high as 347.2 mAh g-1 is still remained after long 2300 cycles. The capacity decay per cycle is only 0.017%. The battery also exhibits a better temperature tolerance at 50 and -5 °C. A low internal impedance analyzed by X-ray diffraction patterns and galvanostatic intermittent titration technique, narrow band gap, and high density of states obtained by first-principle calculations of the binary sulfides, ensure the rapid Na+ /e- transport. The long-cycling-life SIB using binary metal sulfide hybrid nanocages as anode shows promising applications in versatile electronic devices.

Thoracolumbar fascia injury in osteoporotic vertebral fracture: the important concomitant damage.

BACKGROUND: Thoracolumbar fascia injury (FI) is rarely discussed in osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) patients in previous literature and it is usually neglected and treated as an unmeaning phenomenon. We aimed to evaluate the characteristics of the thoracolumbar fascia injury and further discuss its clinical significance in the treatment of kyphoplasty for osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) patients. METHODS: Based on the presence or absence of FI, 223 OVF patients were divided into two groups. The demographics of patients with and without FI were compared. The visual analogue scale and Oswestry disability index scores were compared preoperatively and after PKP treatment between these groups. RESULTS: Thoracolumbar fascia injuries were observed in 27.8% of patients. Most FI showed a multi-level distribution pattern which involved a mean of 3.3 levels. Location of fractures, severity of fractures and severity of trauma were significantly different between patients with and without FI. In further comparison, severity of trauma was significantly different between patients with severe and non-severe FI. In patients with FI, VAS and ODI scores of 3 days and 1 month after PKP treatment were significantly worse compared to those without FI. It showed the same trend in VAS and ODI scores in patients with severe FI when compared to those patients with non-severe FI. CONCLUSIONS: FI is not rare in OVF patients and presents multiple levels of involvement. The more serious trauma suffered, the more severe thoracolumbar fascia injury presented. The presence of FI which was related to residual acute back pain significantly affected the effectiveness of PKP in treating OVFs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: retrospectively registered.

Establishment of Ferroptosis-Related Key Gene Signature and Its Validation in Compression-Induced Intervertebral Disc Degeneration Rats.

Cell death and functional loss of nucleus pulposus cell play essential roles in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Ferroptosis is a newly identified cell death type, and its role in IDD is still under investigation. Identifying the key genes of ferroptosis in IDD helps to identify the therapeutic targets of IDD. In this study, we downloaded the human IDD mRNA microarray data from the Gene Expression Omnibus and ferroptosis genes from FerrDb, then performed a series of analyses using strict bioinformatics algorithms. In general, we obtained 40 ferroptosis-related differential expression genes (FerrDEGs) and identified six ferroptosis key gene signatures, namely, ATF3, EIF2S1, AR, NQO1, TXNIP, and AKR1C3. In addition, enrichment analysis of the FerrDEGs was conducted, the protein-protein interaction network was constructed, the correlations between ferroptosis key genes and immune infiltrating cells were analyzed, and the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network was constructed. In particular, ATF3 and EIF2S1 showed the strongest correlation with immune cell function, which might lead to the development of IDD. Finally, the expressions of ferroptosis key genes were verified in the rat compression-induced IDD. In conclusion, this preliminary study analyzed and verified the mechanism of ferroptosis in IDD, laid a foundation for the follow-up study of the mechanism of ferroptosis in IDD, and provided new targets for preventing and delaying IDD.

Periosteal topology creates an osteo-friendly microenvironment for progenitor cells.

The periosteum on the skeletal surface creates a unique micro-environment for cortical bone homeostasis, but how this micro-environment is formed remains a mystery. In our study, we observed the cells in the periosteum presented elongated spindle-like morphology within the aligned collagen fibers, which is in accordance with the differentiated osteoblasts lining on the cortical surface. We planted the bone marrow stromal cells(BMSCs), the regular shaped progenitor cells, on collagen-coated aligned fibers, presenting similar cell morphology as observed in the natural periosteum. The aligned collagen topology induced the elongation of BMSCs, whichfacilitated the osteogenic process. Transcriptome analysis suggested the aligned collagen induced the regular shaped cells to present part of the periosteum derived stromal cells(PDSCs) characteristics by showing close correlation of the two cell populations. In addition, the elevated expression of PDSCs markers in the cells grown on the aligned collagen-coated fibers further indicated the function of periosteal topology in manipulating cells' behavior. Enrichment analysis revealed cell-extracellular matrix interaction was the major pathway initiating this process, which created an osteo-friendly micro-environment as well. At last, we found the aligned topology of collagen induced mechano-growth factor expression as the result of Igf1 alternative splicing, guiding the progenitor cells behavior and osteogenic process in the periosteum. This study uncovers the key role of the aligned topology of collagen in the periosteum and explains the mechanism in creating the periosteal micro-environment, which gives the inspiration for artificial periosteum design.

A BF3 -Doped MXene Dual-Layer Interphase for a Reliable Lithium-Metal Anode.

A dual-layer interphase that consists of an in-situ-formed lithium carboxylate organic layer and a thin BF3 -doped monolayer Ti3 C2 MXene on Li metal is reported. The honeycomb-structured organic layer increases the wetting of electrolyte, leading to a thin solid electrolyte interface (SEI). While the BF3 -doped monolayer MXene provides abundant active sites for lithium homogeneous nucleation and growth, resulting in about 50% reduced thickness of inorganic-rich components among the SEI layer. A low overpotential of less than 30 mV over 1000 h cycling in symmetric cells is received. The functional BF3  groups, along with the excellent electronic conductivity and smooth surface of the MXene, greatly reduce the lithium plating/stripping energy barrier, enabling a dendrite-free lithium-metal anode. The battery with this dual-layer coated lithium metal as the anode displays greatly improved electrochemical performance. A high capacity-retention of 175.4 mAh g-1 at 1.0 C is achieved after 350 cycles. In a pouch cell with a capacity of 475 mAh, the battery still exhibits a high discharge capacity of 165.6 mAh g-1 with a capacity retention of 90.2% after 200 cycles. In contrast to the fast capacity decay of pure Li metal, the battery using NCA as the cathode also displays excellent capacity retention in both coin and pouch cells. The dual-layer modified surface provides an effective approach in stabilizing the Li-metal anode.

A Foldable Aqueous Zn-Ion Battery with Gear-Structured Composite as Freestanding Cathode.

A foldable battery with high flexibility provides great potential in various wearable electronic devices for health and fitness tracking, chronic disease management, performance monitoring, navigation tracking, and portable gears for soldiers. We report a highly flexible, self-healing Zn-ion battery with a free-standing cathode that is composed of a 3D gear-like NH4 V4 O10 @C composite on carbon paper. The battery retained a capacity of up to 102.4 mAh g-1 even after being folded 60 times with a high angle of 180°. An aqueous hydrogel consisting polyvinyl alcohol, glycerin and Zn(CF3 SO3 )2 was used as electrolyte, which showed as high as 580 % tensile strain under a loading weight of 78 N. The battery exhibited a better capacity retention of over 100 mAh g-1 and Coulombic efficiency of over 99.8 % after cutting and twisting to 90°, thereby indicating a great self-healing performance. The gear-like geometry greatly improved the volume accommodation due to the increased interval space between the blades and the outward configuration. Meanwhile the Zn2+ ionic conductivity was improved by rapid re-binding of many existing hydroxy groups from the electrolyte and the enhanced contact surface area and diffusion route from the cathode material. The highly flexible, safe aqueous Zn-ion battery opens a practical way to power various carry-on electronics under mechanical agitation.

Are surgical outcomes for one level anterior decompression and fusion associated with MRI parameters for degenerative cervical myelopathy?

Background: Our study is to determine the correlation between preoperative MRI parameters of spinal cord compression and the effects of anterior surgery in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). Methods: 24 normal subjects with no evident abnormalities were selected as group A. 79 patients with DCM underwent single-segment (C4-5/C5-6) ACDF surgery formed the operation group, and separated into group B (without high signal) and group C (with high signal) according to the absence or presence of high signal in the spinal cord on preoperative T2-weighted MRI respectively. MRI parameters (MCC, maximum canal compromise; MSCC, maximum spinal cord compression; CR, spinal cord compression rate; RCSCDS, ratio of cervical spinal cord to dura sac) were measured. The JOA score was used to evaluate cervical spinal cord function and recovery rate (RR) was used to evaluate postoperative efficacy. The relationship between preoperative MRI parameters and postoperative efficacy was analyzed. Results: The preoperative JOA score and RR of group B were higher than that of group C. MCC and MSCC in group B were significantly lower than those in groups C. The multiple linear regression equation was the fitted postoperative JOA score = 13.371-2.940 * MCC -5.660 * RCSCDS +0.471 * preoperative JOA score. The fitted RR = 1.451-0.472 * MCC -1.313 * RCSCDS. Conclusion: The occurrence of high signal on T2-weighted images could reflect more serious spinal cord injury. The postoperative JOA score was significantly correlated with MCC, RCSCDS, and preoperative JOA score, while RR was significantly associated with MCC and RCSCDS.

A Flexible Anti-Biofilm Hygiene Coating for Water Devices.

Biofilm is a microbiome complex comprising different bacterial colonies that typically adhere to device surfaces in water, which causes serious medical issues such as indwelling infections and outbreaks. Here, we developed a non-nanoparticle, flexible anti-biofilm hygiene coating consisting of lithocholic acid (LCA), zinc pyrithione (Zn), and cinnamaldehyde (Cn) (named as LCA-Zn-Cn) that largely prevents the bacteria adhesion to various water device surfaces such as stainless steel and glass through a synergistic mechanism. The existing chelated groups on LCA and Cn attract plenty of bacteria via hydrophobic interaction. Both the bactericidal reaction by grafting biocidal groups from both LCA and Cn and the bacteriostatic reaction by inhibiting cell division via zinc ions (Zn) lead to a largely improved bacteria/biofilm prevention. The antibacterial performance was assessed by using the JIS Z 2801/ISO 22196 method. The designed LCA-Zn-Cn coating displayed log10 reduction of 4.23 (99.9% reduction) of E. coli and log10 reduction of 3.51 (99.8% reduction) of E. faecalis on stainless steel, which are much higher than the control samples, demonstrating a promising colonization inhibition. In parallel, the polysulfone encapsulated beads also showed >99% reduction efficiency in batch and >97-98% reduction efficiency in continuous column tests using the Lake Michigan water. Due to the strong cross-linked configuration, the coating still showed >90.9% bacterial reduction after 3000 abrasion cycles and over 99.9% bacteria reduction after a high flow velocity of 1.99 m/s test, which confirmed the enhanced mechanical durability. By applying either spray or dip-coating, the designed polymer composite can be coated on a variety of irregular water devices with mass production using an auto-controlled robot arm.

Finite Element Analysis of Spinal Cord Stress in a Single Segment Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Background: Spinal cord ischemia is largely caused by cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), which has a corresponding biomechanical basis. Finite element analysis of spinal cord stress in diseased segments of CSM was performed to provide a biomechanical basis for the pathogenesis of CSM. Methods: A single segment (C4-5) in a patient with CSM was selected for mechanical simulation of three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography scanning, and a 3D finite element model of the cervical vertebra was constructed. Based on the patient's age, sex, height, weight, and other parameters, a finite element analysis model of an individual with healthy cervical vertebrae in our hospital was selected as the control to compare the stress changes between the patient and control groups in the analysis of the cervical vertebrae under anterior flexion, posterior extension, lateral flexion, and rotating load in the diseased spinal cord segment. Results: In the CSM patient, the diseased segment was C4-5. Under loading conditions of forward flexion, posterior extension, left flexion, right flexion, left rotation, and right rotation, the maximum stress on the spinal cord in the control group was 0.0044, 0.0031, 0.00017, 0.00014, 0.0011, and 0.001 MPa, respectively, whereas those in the spinal cord in the CSM group were 0.039, 0.024, 0.02, 0.02, 0.0194, and 0.0196 MPa, respectively. Conclusion: The maximum stress on the diseased segments of the spinal cord in the CSM group was higher than that in the control group, which contributed to verifying the imaging parameters associated with spinal cord compression stress.

Photocatalytic degradation of perfluoroalkyl substances in water by using a duo-functional tri-metallic-oxide hybrid catalyst.

The recalcitrant nature of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) urges scientists to discover solutions to permanently remove PFAS contaminations from water with less energy in contrast to incineration. Herein, a duo-functional tri-metallic-oxide (f-TMO) hybrid photocatalyst was developed via a facile process, which displayed both high adsorption capacity and high defluorination rate of a series of PFASs including PFOA, PFOS, PFHpA, PFHxA and PFBA due to the generated holes/electrons (h+/e-) and multi-radicals such as O2•- and SO4•-. Particularly the Langmuir adsorption capacities up to 827.84 and 714.46 mg g-1 along with the adsorption efficiency of 99.8% and 99.4% for PFOS and PFOA were respectively achieved. A defluorination ratio of as high as 74.8% with PFOA and a ratio up to 67.6% with PFOS were respectively received. Over 98% PFOA molecules were degraded within as fast as 15 min under initial concentrations ranging from 1 ppb to 1000 ppb, which demonstrates an excellent degradation kinetics. As for the sulfonic acid of PFOS, an as high as 95.5% degradation efficiency was obtained within 300 min. The degradation rates were 4.5 mg L-1 h-1 for PFOA and 0.54 mg L-1 h-1 for PFOS, respectively. In parallel, the f-TMO photocatalyst still exhibited a >96.2% degradation efficiency after eight regeneration cycles. The high physical adsorption capacity and high defluorination rate make this f-TMO catalyst promising applications in removing various PFASs from a broad range of residential and industrial water systems.