A Novel Peptidomimetic Insecticide: Dippu-AstR-Based Rational Design and Biological Activity of Allatostatin Analogs.

Insect neuropeptides play an essential role in regulating growth, development, reproduction, nerve conduction, metabolism, and behavior in insects; therefore, G protein-coupled receptors of neuropeptides are considered important targets for designing green insecticides. Cockroach-type allatostatins (ASTs) (FGLamides allatostatins) are important insect neuropeptides in Diploptera punctata that inhibit juvenile hormone (JH) synthesis in the corpora allata and affect growth, development, and reproduction of insects. Therefore, the pursuit of novel insecticides targeting the allatostatin receptor (AstR) holds significant importance. Previously, we identified an AST analogue, H17, as a promising candidate for pest control. Herein, we first modeled the 3D structure of AstR in D. punctata (Dippu-AstR) and predicted the binding mode of H17 with Dippu-AstR to study the critical interactions and residues favorable to its bioactivity. Based on this binding mode, we designed and synthesized a series of H17 derivatives and assessed their insecticidal activity against D. punctata. Among them, compound Q6 showed higher insecticidal activity than H17 against D. punctata by inhibiting JH biosynthesis, indicating that Q6 is a potential candidate for a novel insect growth regulator (IGR)-based insecticide. Moreover, Q6 exhibited insecticidal activity against Plutella xylostella, indicating that these AST analogs may have a wider insecticidal spectrum. The underlying mechanisms and molecular conformations mediating the interactions of Q6 with Dippu-AstR were explored to understand its effects on the bioactivity. The present work clarifies how a target-based strategy facilitates the discovery of new peptide mimics with better bioactivity, enabling improved IGR-based insecticide potency in sustainable agriculture.

Intravitreal Delivery of PEGylated-ECO Plasmid DNA Nanoparticles for Gene Therapy of Stargardt Disease.

OBJECTIVE: Current gene therapy of inherited retinal diseases is achieved mainly by subretinal injection, which is invasive with severe adverse effects. Intravitreal injection is a minimally invasive alternative for gene therapy of inherited retinal diseases. This work explores the efficacy of intravitreal delivery of PEGylated ECO (a multifunctional pH-sensitive amphiphilic amino lipid) plasmid DNA (pGRK1-ABCA4-S/MAR) nanoparticles (PEG-ELNP) for gene therapy of Stargardt disease. METHODS: Pigmented Abca4-/- knockout mice received 1 µL of PEG-ELNP solution (200 ng/uL, pDNA concentration) by intravitreal injections at an interval of 1.5 months. The expression of ABCA4 in the retina was determined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry at 6 months after the second injection. A2E levels in the treated eyes and untreated controls were determined by HPLC. The safety of treatment was monitored by scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and electroretinogram (ERG). RESULTS: PEG-ELNP resulted in significant ABCA4 expression at both mRNA level and protein level at]6 months after 2 intravitreal injections, and a 40% A2E accumulation reduction compared with non-treated controls. The PEG-ELNP also demonstrated excellent safety as shown by scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, and the eye function evaluation from electroretinogram. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal delivery of the PEG-ELNP of pGRK1-ABCA4-S/MAR is a promising approach for gene therapy of Stargardt Disease, which can also be a delivery platform for gene therapy of other inherited retinal diseases.

Tumor microenvironment(TME) and single-source dual-energy CT(ssDECT) on assessment of inconformity between RECIST1.1 and pathological remission in neoadjuvant immunotherapy of NSCLC.

BACKGROUND: The inconformity (IC) between pathological and imaging remissions after neoadjuvant immunotherapy in patients with NSCLC can affect the evaluation of curative effect of neoadjuvant therapy and the decision regarding the chance of surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who achieved disease control(CR/PR/SD) after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy from a clinical trial (NCT04326153) and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy during the same period were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent radical resection and systematic mediastinal lymphadenectomy after neoadjuvant treatments. The pathological remission, immunohistochemistry (CD4, CD8, CD20, CD56, FoxP3, CD68, CD163, CD11b tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, or macrophages), and single-source dual-energy computed tomography (ssDECT) scans were assessed. The IC between imaging remission by CT and pathological remission was investigated. The underlying cause of IC, the correlation between IC and DFS, and prognostic biomarkers were explored. RESULTS: After neoadjuvant immunotherapy, enhanced immune killing and reduced immunosuppressive performance were observed. 70 % of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy patients were in high/medium IC level. Massive necrosis and repair around and inside the cancer nest were the main pathological changes observed 30-45 days post-treatment with PD1/PD-L1 antibody and were the main causes of IC between the pathology and imaging responses after neoadjuvant immunotherapy. High IC and preoperative CD8 expression (H score ≥ 3) indicate a high pathological response rate and prolonged DFS. Iodine material density ssDECT images showed that the iodine content in the lesion causes hyperattenuation in post-neoadjuvant lesion in PCR patient. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to chemotherapy and targeted therapy, the efficacy of neoadjuvant immunotherapy was underestimated based on the RECIST criteria due to the unique antitumor therapeutic mechanism. Preoperative CD8+ expression and ssDECT predict this IC and evaluate the residual tumor cells. This is of great significance for screening immune beneficiaries and making more accurate judgments about the timing of surgery.

Nanosensors Monitor Intracellular GSH Depletion: GSH Triggers Cu(II) for Tumor Imaging and Inhibition.

Glutathione (GSH) is the primary antioxidant in cells, and GSH consumption will break the redox balance in cells. Based on this, a method that uses high concentrations of GSH in the tumor microenvironment to trigger the redox reaction of Cu(II) to generate copper nanoprobes with fluorescence and tumor growth inhibition properties is proposed. The nanoprobe mainly exists in the form of Cu(I) and catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into hydroxyl radicals. At the same time, a simple and controllable carbon micro-nano electrode is used to construct a single-cell sensing platform, which enable the detection of glutathione content in single living cells after Cu(II) treatment, providing an excellent example for detecting single-cell biomolecules.

Coupled Experimental-Theoretical Characterization of a Carbon Electrode in Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries using X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy.

Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) have emerged as promising solutions for stationary grid energy storage due to their high efficiency, scalability, safety, near room-temperature operation conditions, and the ability to independently size power and energy capacities. The performance of VRFBs heavily relies on the redox couple reactions of V2+/V3+ and VO2+/VO2+ on carbon electrodes. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the surface functionality of carbon electrodes and their propensity for degradation during electrochemical cycles is crucial for designing VRFBs with extended lifespans. In this study, we present a coupled experimental-theoretical approach based on carbon K edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to characterize carbon electrodes prepared under different conditions and identify relevant functional groups that contribute to unique spectroscopic features. Atomic models were created to represent functional groups, such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, methyl, and aldehyde, bonded to carbon atoms in either sp2 or sp3 environments. The interactions between functionalized carbon and various solvated vanadium complexes were modeled using density functional theory. A library of carbon K-edge XAS spectra was generated for distinct carbon atoms in different functional groups, both before and after interacting with solvated vanadium complexes. We demonstrate how these simulated spectra can be used to deconvolve ex situ experimental spectra measured from carbon electrodes and to track changes in the electrode composition following immersion in different electrolytes or extended cycling within a functional VRFB. By doing so, we identify the active species present on the carbon electrodes, which play a crucial role in determining their electrochemical performance.

In situ monitoring of cytoplasmic dopamine levels by noble metals decorated carbon fiber tips.

Dopamine (DA), a catecholamine neurotransmitter, is crucial in brain signal transmission. Monitoring cytoplasmic DA levels can reflect changes in metabolic factors and provide valuable information for researching the mechanisms involved in neurodegenerative diseases. However, the in-situ detection of intracellular DA is constrained by its low contents in small-sized single cells. In this work, we report that noble metal (Au, Pt)-modified carbon fiber micro-nanoelectrodes are capable of real-time detection of DA in single cells with excellent sensitivity, selectivity, and anti-contamination capabilities. Notably, noble metals can be modified on the electrode surface through electrochemical deposition to enhance the conductivity of the electrode and the oxidation current of DA by 50 %. The nanosensors can work stably and continuously in rat adrenal pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) to monitor changes in DA levels upon K+ stimulation. The functionalized carbon fibers based nanosensors will provide excellent prospects for DA analysis in the brains of living animals.

Effects of breathing exercises on chronic low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: A range of studies concerning the effects of breathing exercises on chronic low back pain (CLBP) have been proven inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of breathing exercises for the treatment of CLBP. METHODS: We considered randomized controlled trials in English or Chinese that used breathing exercises for the treatment of CLBP. An electronic search was performed in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wan Fang, and CBM databases for articles published up to November 2022. Two reviewers independently screened the articles, assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and extracted the data. The outcomes included pain, lumbar function and pulmonary function post-intervention. RESULTS: A total of thirteen studies (n= 677) satisfied the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis results demonstrated a significant effect of breathing exercises on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score (SMD =-0.84, 95% CI: -1.24 to -0.45, P< 0.0001), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score (SMD =-0.74, 95% CI: -0.95 to -0.54, P< 0.00001), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) score (MD = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.37, P= 0.0006), Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second /Forced Vital Capacity (FEV1/FVC) (MD = 1.90, 95% CI: 0.73 to 3.07, P= 0.001), although there was no significant difference between the breathing exercises and control interventions for Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV1) score (MD = 0.22, 95% CI = [0.00, 0.43], P= 0.05), and Maximal Voluntary Ventilation (MVV) score (MD = 8.22, 95% CI = [-4.02, 20.45], P= 0.19). CONCLUSION: Breathing exercises can reduce pain, assist people with lumbar disabilities, and improve pulmonary function, and could be considered as a potential alternative treatment for CLBP.

Visualizing the Promoting Role of Interfacial Water in the Deprotonation of Formic Acid on Cu(111).

Water plays a crucial role in various heterogeneous catalytic reactions, but the atomic-scale characterization of how water participates in these chemical processes remains a significant challenge. Here we directly visualize the promoting role of interfacial water in the deprotonation of formic acid (FA) on a metal surface, using combined scanning tunneling microscopy and qPlus-based noncontact atomic force microscopy. We find the dissociation of FA when coadsorbed with water on the Cu(111) surface, resulting in the formation of hydronium and formate ions. Interestingly, most of the hydrated proton and formate ions exhibit a phase-separated behavior on Cu(111), in which Eigen and Zundel cations assemble into a monolayer hexagonal hydrogen-bonding (H-bonding) network, and bidentate formate ions are solvated with water and aggregate into one-dimensional chains or two-dimensional H-bonding networks. This phase-separated behavior is essential for preventing the proton transfer back from hydronium to formate and the reformation of FA. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the participation of water significantly reduces the deprotonation barrier of FA on Cu(111), in which water catalyzes the decomposition of FA through the Grotthuss proton transfer mechanism. In addition, the separate solvation of hydronium and bidentate formate ions is energetically preferred due to the enhanced interaction with the copper substrate. The promoting role of water in the deprotonation of FA is further confirmed by the temperature-programmed desorption experiment, which shows that the intensity of the H2 desorption peak significantly increases and the desorption of FA declines when water and FA coadsorbed on the Cu(111) surface.

Involvement of PI3K/AKT Pathway in the Rapid Antidepressant Effects of Crocetin in Mice with Depression-Like Phenotypes.

The current first-line antidepressants have the drawback of slow onset, which greatly affects the treatment of depression. Crocetin, one of the main active ingredients in saffron (Crocus sativus L.), has been demonstrated to have antidepressant activities, but whether it has a rapid antidepressant effect remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the onset, duration, and mechanisms of the rapid antidepressant activity of crocetin (20, 40 and 80 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection) in male mice subjected to chronic restraint stress (CRS). The results of behavioral tests showed that crocetin exerted rapid antidepressant-like effect in mice with depression-like phenotypes, including rapid normalization of depressive-like behaviors within 3 h, and the effects could be maintained for 2 days. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Nissl staining showed that crocetin ameliorated hippocampal neuroinflammation and nerve injuries in mice with depression-like phenotypes. The levels of inflammatory factors, corticosterone and pro brain-derived neurotrophic factor in crocetin-administrated mice serum were significantly reduced compared with those in the CRS group, as well as the levels of inflammatory factors in hippocampus. What's more, Western blot analyses showed that, compared to CRS-induced mice, the relative levels of mitogen-activated kinase phosphatase 1 and toll-like receptor 4 were significantly reduced after the administration of crocetin, and the relative expressions of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), cAMP-response element binding protein, phosphorylated phosphoinositide 3 kinase (p-PI3K)/PI3K, phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-AKT)/AKT, phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (p-GSK3ß)/GSK3ß, phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR)/mTOR were markedly upregulated. In conclusion, crocetin exerted rapid antidepressant effects via suppressing the expression of inflammatory cytokines and the apoptosis of neuronal cells through PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. The rapid antidepressant effect of crocetin (40 mg/kg) could be maintained for at least 2 days after single treatment.

Measurement Method of Physical Parameters of Two-Phase Flow Based on Dual-Frequency Demodulation.

Oil-water two-phase flow commonly occurs in the process of crude oil electric dehydration. Here, through dynamic changes in the water content and conductivity of oil-water two-phase flow in the process of electric dehydration, the influence of water content and conductivity on the efficiency and stability of electric dehydration is analyzed. Using real-time in-line measurements of water content and conductivity, the electric dehydration system is kept in an optimal state, which provides a basis for realizing efficient oil-water separation. Measurements of the physical parameters of oil-water two-phase flow is affected by many factors, such as the temperature of the two-phase flow, composition of the two-phase flow medium, structure of the measurement sensor, coupling of the conventional resistance-capacitance excitation signal, and processing of the measurement data. This complexity causes, some shortcomings to the control system, such as a large measurement error, limited measurement range, inability to measure the medium water phase as a conductive water phase, etc., and not meeting the requirements of the electric dehydration process. To solve that the conductivity and water content of high-conductivity crude oil emulsions cannot be measured synchronously, the RC relationship of oil-water emulsions is measured synchronously using dual-frequency digital demodulation technology, which verifies the feasibility of our test method for the synchronous measurement of physical parameters of homogeneous oil-water two-phase flow. Experimental results show that the novel measuring method (which is within the target measuring range) can be used to measure water content 0~40% and conductivity 1 ms/m~100 ms/m. The measuring error of the water content is less than 2%, and the measuring error of the conductivity is less than 5%.

[Evidence mapping analysis of traditional Chinese medicine intervention in pulmonary fibrosis].

This study utilized evidence mapping methodology to systematically identify, describe, and evaluate the evidence from relevant research on traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) interventions in patients with pulmonary fibrosis. CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, EMbase, and Cochrane Library were searched from database inception to March 2023 for systematic reviews/Meta-analysis/network Meta-analysis on TCM interventions in pulmonary fibrosis. The quality of included studies was assessed using the AMSTAR 2 scale, and the evidence mapping approach was employed to present comprehensive information on populations, intervention methods, the sample size in systematic reviews/Meta-analysis, and conclusion classifications. Ultimately, 44 systematic reviews/Meta-analysis/network Meta-analysis were included. Apart from syndrome differentiation and treatment, TCM injections accounted for a significant proportion of the observed interventions. The treatment methods were mainly focused on nourishing Qi and Yin, promoting blood circulation, resolving stasis, and dredging collaterals. The results from the included studies demonstrated that TCM treatment for pulmonary fibrosis could improve efficacy, increase lung function, improve PaO_(2 )levels, increase the 6-minute walk distance(6MWD), alleviate clinical symptoms, and enhance patients' quality of life. Based on the assessment using the AMSTAR 2 scale, methodological issues were identified, including the lack of protocol registration, failure to provide a list of excluded literature, and incomplete explanations regarding the impact of heterogeneity and bias on the results. The evidence mapping revealed that 42 conclusions were beneficial, while two conclusions were potentially beneficial. Overall, the quality of evidence was relatively low, primarily due to methodological imprecision and publication bias. Although TCM showed certain efficacy in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis, the quality of reported literature, methodological quality, and overall evidence quality need improvement. It is recommended to conduct high-quality and standardized studies in the future to provide better evidence-based guidance.

Accelerated degradation of micro-pollutant by combined UV and chlorine dioxide: Unexpected inhibition of chlorite formation.

UV/chlorine dioxide (ClO2) process can be intentionally or accidently conducted and is potentially effective in micro-pollutants degradation. UV irradiation can promote ClO2 decay and subsequently result in the formation of reactive radicals. Hence, the co-exposure of ClO2 and UV exhibited a synergetic effect on metribuzin (MET) degradation. The MET degradation was promoted by UV/ClO2 with a rate of 0.089 min-1 at pH 7.5, which was around 2.4 folds the total of rates caused by single ClO2 (0.004 min-1) and single UV (0.033 min-1). Reactive radicals mainly HO• and reactive chlorine species were involved in the acceleration effect, and contributed to 59%-67% of the total degradation rate of MET during UV/ClO2 under pHs 5.5-7.5. Among them, HO• was the predominant contributor and the contribution rate gradually rose under higher pH. Chlorite (ClO2-) and chlorate (ClO3-) formation has been the major concern of ClO2 oxidation. However, a comparison of their formation during UV/ClO2 and ClO2 oxidation is rarely reported. Herein, during MET degradation by ClO2, only ClO2- was identified with the highest amount of 1.17 mg L-1. Conversely, during MET degradation by UV/ClO2, only ClO3- was identified with the highest amount of 0.68 mg L-1, showing an upward trend with prolonging treatment time. Furthermore, organic halogenated DBPs formation after 24 h post-chlorination with UV/ClO2 and ClO2 pre-treatments was comparatively evaluated. Organic DBPs formation after post-chlorination was higher with UV/ClO2 pre-treatment compared to ClO2 pre-treatment. The overall concentration of DBPs produced with 30 min UV/ClO2 pre-treatment was about 4.5 times that with 1min UV/ClO2 pre-treatment. This study provided useful reference for the application of UV/ClO2 in micro-pollutants degradation.

Endogenous miRNA and K+ Co-Activated Dynamic Assembly of DNA Coacervates for Intracellular miRNA Imaging and Mitochondrial Intervention.

Intracellular dynamic assembly of DNA structures may be beneficial for the development of multifunctional nanoplatforms for the regulation of cell behaviors, providing new strategies for disease diagnosis and intervention. Herein, we propose the dynamic assembly of DNA coacervates in living cells triggered by miRNA-21 and K+, which can be used for both miRNA imaging and mitochondrial intervention. The rationale is that miRNA-21 can trigger the hybridization chain reaction to generate G-quadruplex precursors, and K+ can mediate the assembly of G-quadruplex-based coacervates, allowing the colorimetric detection of miRNA-21 ranging from 10 pM to 10 µM. Moreover, the as-formed DNA coacervates can specifically target mitochondria in MCF-7 breast cancer cells using the MCF-7 cell membrane as delivery carriers, which further act as an anionic shielding to inhibit communication between mitochondria and environments, with a significant inhibitory effect on ATP production and cellular migration behaviors. This work provides an ideal multifunctional nanoplatform for rationally interfering with cellular metabolism and migration behaviors through the dynamic assembly of DNA coacervates mediated by endogenous molecules, which has a large number of potential applications in the biomedical field, especially theranostics for cancer metastasis.

[A review of research on psychological and behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder during the coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic]. / æ–°åž‹å† çŠ¶ç— æ¯’æ„ŸæŸ“æµè¡ŒæœŸé—´å­¤ç‹¬ç—‡è°±ç³»éšœç¢å„¿ç«¥å¿ƒç†è¡Œä¸ºé—®é¢˜çš„ç ”ç©¶æ¦‚å†µ.

Since December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been rapidly spreading worldwide and affecting the physical and mental health of the general population. It may have even more serious potential harm to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This paper provides a literature review on the psychological and behavioral problems experienced by children with ASD during the COVID-19 epidemic, as well as the factors influencing these issues. The findings of this review can serve as a basis for clinical research on ASD children.

Combination of specific proteins as markers for accurate detection of extracellular vesicles using proximity ligation-mediated bHCR amplification.

As the molecular characteristics of extracellular vesicles (EVs) are closely related to the occurrence and progression of cancer, the detection of tumor-derived EVs provides a promising non-invasive tool for the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However, it would be difficult for most of the existing methods to avoid false positives because the obtained result declares the amounts of proteins, but cannot accurately reflect the protein sources, including EV proteins and interfering proteins, in the actual samples. In this manuscript, a robust, accurate, and sensitive fluorescent strategy for profiling EV proteins is developed by using the combination of specific proteins as markers (Co-marker). Our strategy relies on the Co-marker recognition-activated cascade bHCR amplification, which forms numerous G-quadruplex structures that are integrated with fluorescent dyes for signal transduction. Notably, the detection accuracy can be improved owing to the effective avoidance of false positives from interfering proteins or single protein markers. Moreover, by using the double-positive protein recognition mode, unpurified detection can be achieved that avoids time-consuming EVs purification procedures. With its capacities of accuracy, portability, sensitivity, high throughput, and non-purification, the developed strategy might provide a practical tool for EV identification and the related early diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions on depressive symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease: a study protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Depression is the most dominant non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD), with a prevalence of up to 50%, and can lead to a range of psychiatric and psychological problems that can affect quality of life and overall functioning. While several randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have tested the effect of certain non-pharmacological interventions on the outcome of PD depression symptoms, the comparative benefits and harms of these remain unclear. We will conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of different non-pharmacological interventions for patients with PD depression. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will search PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Embase, Google Scholar, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, WanFang Data and the Chongqing VIP Database from their inception date to June 2022. The studies will be limited to results published in English or Chinese. The primary outcomes will be the changes in the depressive symptoms, while secondary outcomes will include adverse effects and the quality of life. Two researchers will screen those documents that meet the inclusion criteria, extracting data according to the preset table and evaluating the methodological quality of the included studies using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 Tool. The STATA and ADDIS statistical software will be used to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis. A traditional pairwise meta-analysis and a network meta-analysis will be performed to compare the efficacy and safety of different non-pharmacological interventions, ensuring the robustness of the findings. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system will be used to assess the overall quality of the body of evidence associated with the main results. The publication bias assessment will be conducted using comparison-adjusted funnel plots. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: All the data for this study will be extracted from published RCTs. As a literature-based systematic review, this study does not require ethical approval. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and national/international conference presentations. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022347772.

Extreme-Low-Speed Heavy Load Bearing Fault Diagnosis by Using Improved RepVGG and Acoustic Emission Signals.

With the worldwide carbon neutralization boom, low-speed heavy load bearings have been widely used in the field of wind power. Bearing failure generates impulses when the rolling element passes the cracked surface of the bearing. Over the past decade, acoustic emission (AE) techniques have been used to detect failure signals. However, the high sampling rates of AE signals make it difficult to design and extract fault features; thus, deep neural network-based approaches have been proposed. In this paper, we proposed an improved RepVGG bearing fault diagnosis technique. The normalized and noise-reduced bearing signals were first converted into Mel frequency cepstrum coefficients (MFCCs) and then inputted into the model. In addition, the exponential moving average method was used to optimize the model and improve its accuracy. Data were extracted from the test bench and wind turbine main shaft bearing. Four damage classes were studied experimentally. The experimental results demonstrated that the improved RepVGG model could be employed for classifying low-speed heavy load bearing states by using MFCCs. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the proposed model was assessed by performing comparisons with existing models.

Degree and distribution of substitution of hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin in enantioselective liquid-liquid extraction and countercurrent chromatographic enantioseparation.

Nine types of hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HP-ß-CD) with different degrees and distributions of substitution were synthesised, and nine racemates were selected to investigate the effect of different degrees and distributions of substitution of HP-ß-CD on the enantioseparation factor. 1H NMR and GC/MS were used to characterise the synthesised HP-ß-CD. The degree and distribution of substitution had a significant influence on enantioselective liquid-liquid extraction and enantioseparation by countercurrent chromatography. For most of the tested racemates, increasing both the degree of substitution and distribution of substitution at the C-2 position for HP-ß-CD would lead to an increasing enantioseparation factor; the optimal enantioseparation factor of 2-phenylbutyric acid, tropic acid, 2,3-diphenylpropionic acid, 2-(4-hydroxylphenyl) propanoic acid, and naproxen was increased to 1.77, 1.53, 1.67, 1.61, and 1.75, respectively. The enantioseparation of racemic naproxen, 2-(4-hydroxylphenyl) propanoic acid, and 2,3-diphenylpropionic acid by countercurrent chromatography was optimised using HP-ß-CD with a degree of substitution of 16.5, and peak resolution was significantly improved to 1.03, 1.35, and 1.01, respectively.

Usefulness of cardiac magnetic resonance for early detection of cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction in breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Prognosis of breast cancer patients has been improved along with the progress in cancer therapies. However, cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) has been an emerging issue. For early detection of CTRCD, we examined whether native T1 mapping and global longitudinal strain (GLS) using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and biomarkers analysis are useful. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 83 consecutive chemotherapy-naïve female patients with breast cancer (mean age, 56 ± 13 yrs.) between 2017 and 2020. CTRCD was defined based on echocardiography as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) below 53% at any follow-up period with LVEF>10% points decrease from baseline after chemotherapy. To evaluate cardiac function, CMR (at baseline and 6 months), 12­lead ECG, echocardiography, and biomarkers (at baseline and every 3 months) were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 164 CMRs were performed in 83 patients. LVEF and GLS were significantly decreased after chemotherapy (LVEF, from 71.2 ± 4.4 to 67.6 ± 5.8%; GLS, from -27.9 ± 3.9 to -24.7 ± 3.5%, respectively, both P < 0.01). Native T1 value also significantly elevated after chemotherapy (from 1283 ± 36 to 1308 ± 39 msec, P < 0.01). Among the 83 patients, 7 (8.4%) developed CTRCD. Of note, native T1 value before chemotherapy was significantly higher in patients with CTRCD than in those without it (1352 ± 29 vs. 1278 ± 30 msec, P < 0.01). The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that native T1 value was an independent predictive factor for the development of CTRCD [OR 2.33; 95%CI 1.15-4.75, P = 0.02]. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that CMR is useful to detect chemotherapy-related myocardial damage and predict for the development of CTRCD in breast cancer patients.